BJP’s win in Harayawas the victory of ‘tantra’: Hooda

Accusing BJP MLAs of diverting from real issues, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said though the saffron party was celebrating the victory in the Assembly elections by gaining a “big majority”, the actual difference in the votes between the Congress and the BJP was a mere 0.85 per cent. “It is a ‘loktantra’ (democracy), but in reality, it is ‘tantra’ (system) that has won,” he said.

‘Not enough DAP stock’

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Hooda has questioned the BJP for adding around 75 lakh people to the BPL category in the past two years. Talking about the shortage of DAP fertiliser, he said the state never had the required stock.

While responding to the Governor’s address in the House, Hooda said he did not want to say much but the BJP MLAs criticised the Congress’ 10-year rule rather than telling their achievements. “I think this is what their training is about,” he said.

On the BJP’s claim of ending the ‘kharchi-parchi’ system, he said it was like “ulta chor daroga ko daante” (the pot calling the kettle black). He detailed how during the BJP government, there were widespread cases of paper leak and recruitment scam, with recruitment commission officials selling jobs. “In November 2021, the HPSC (Haryana Public Service Commission) Deputy Secretary was caught with Rs 90 lakh and later, Rs 3 crore was recovered from him. In 2018, five individuals were arrested for tampering with results at the HSSC (Haryana Staff Selection Commission) office. From HCS to Group D, every post has been sold under the BJP,” he said. He alleged that there were 19 paper leak scandals in the last 10 years of the BJP rule.

Hooda said during the Congress era, every young person who completed JBT was given a job, whereas not a single JBT recruitment took place during the BJP’s entire term. “Today, there are nearly 50,000 vacant positions in the Education Department, with over 2 lakh total vacancies across departments…Schools don’t have teachers, hospitals don’t have doctors and departments don’t have officials.”

On nepotism, he said, “While my grandfather and father were freedom fighters, I am proud that my father, Ranbir Singh, signed the Constitution with Babasaheb Ambedkar.” He added that he did not want to name anyone but the BJP people tried to send their family members to Zila Parishad.

On accusations regarding land acquisitions, Hooda challenged the BJP to cite a single instance wherein the farmers’ land was given to builders. He accused the party of halting the Dadupur-Nalvi project because it did not want to provide fair compensation to farmers.

Replying to accusations of undertaking development programmes only in Rohtak, Hooda said between 2005 and 2014, development was carried out in all areas. “The Congress established a new health university in Haryana, along with six new medical colleges (in Karnal, Mewat, Faridabad, Khanpur, Bhiwani, and Mahendragarh). Additionally, AIIMS and the National Cancer Institute were set up in Badsa, Jhajjar. A central university was set up in Mahendragarh, while Rajiv Gandhi Education City was also established in Sonipat.”

During the Congress’ tenure, Haryana became the first state in the country to establish all major national educational institutions, he added.

“Between 2005 and 2014, six new IMTs (HSDIC industrial areas) were established, attracting national and international companies and investments. The Congress worked on establishing five power plants and an approved nuclear plant. The party expanded rail and metro services to facilitate transportation for the public, connecting four cities with metro line near the national capital,” he added.

He also questioned the BJP for adding around 75 lakh people to the BPL category in the past two years. Talking about the shortage of DAP fertiliser, he said the state never had the required stock.