HSSC is ‘Haryana Service Sales Centre’, says Hooda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 9

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress leaders of his camp on Wednesday hit out at the Haryana Government over a controversial question in the HSSC examination held in April.

“The functioning of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), which is already under the scanner following a leak of an audio clip that exposed chairman Bharat Bhushan Bharti’s corrupt activities, has now insulted Brahmins,” he told the media here.

In the written examination for the post of Junior Engineer (Civil) held on April 10, the HSSC had posed a question, “What is not considered a bad omen in Haryana?” Of the four options, two were “sight of a Brahmin girl” and “meeting with a black Brahmin”.

Hooda termed the HSSC as the “Haryana Service Sales Centre”. He demanded registration of an FIR against Bharti and the chief examiner.

Ganaur MLA Kuldeep Sharma, who was also present in the press meet, said if the government failed to take action within a week, he would file a complaint with the Panchkula Police, accusing Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of his “tacit approval” to the state of affairs in the HSSC.

He hit out at BJP’s newly elected Brahmin Rajya Sabha member Lt General DP Vats (retd) for terming the saffron party a benefactor of Brahmins after the question row. “Vats must not forget that Hooda appointed him chairman of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC).”

Hooda took on the Chief Minister for his statement that “namaz” should be offered in mosques and idgahs only, and not in public places. “His statement is aimed at encouraging right-wing elements who are disrupting prayers meetings,” he said.

Former Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed said Muslims in Gurugram had been observing Friday prayers in parks as influential persons had encroached upon mosques and idgahs.

He questioned the logic behind allowing the RSS to hold “shakhas” in public parks and even in schools. Hooda said he would start the second phase of his rath yatra from Samalkha on June 3.