Congress MP targets BJP govt over airport issue

Congress MP from Hisar Lok Sabha seat Jai Prakash has alleged that the BJP government had downgraded the Hisar airport, which was originally planned to be developed by the previous Congress government as a domestic airport, to a mere aerodrome.

Addressing a press conference at the PWD Rest House, Jai Prakash accused the BJP of misleading the public with false promises of an international airport.

Referring to the history of the airport, Jai Prakash reminded that it was during the UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda that the Hisar and Karnal airstrips were approved in the first Cabinet meeting. He accused the BJP of turning that domestic airport into an aerodrome, thereby downgrading a key infrastructure project.

The Congress MP claimed that the BJP has used the “international airport” narrative to ‘cover up’ a major corruption scandal. “While only 300 acres were required for the airport, the government acquired 7,200 acres. Who are they trying to benefit with this excess land?” he questioned.

Jai Prakash further alleged that the land near the proposed airport site was first bought from local landowner at low prices and later sold back at higher rates using the international airport promise as marketing strategy. “This is a betrayal of the dreams and faith of people,” he said, adding that an international airport could have created significant employment and business opportunities for the region.

The Congress leader also criticised the Haryana Government’s MoU on flight operations, which obliged the state to cover 50 per cent of the fare cost if seats went unsold. “Why is the public money being used to save the government's false image?” he asked.

He demanded that both Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the people of Haryana for misleading them.