Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today launched a scathing attack on the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre alleging they were insensitive to the plight of various sections including the farmers.
Hooda started the second leg of his 'Jankranti Yatra' from Samalkha in this district.
Addressing a public gathering at New Anaj Mandi in Samalkha, the former chief minister said various sections of the society including farmers, traders, employees, labourers and youth were fed up with BJP government's "misrule.
"For the last four years, I tried to take the voice of the people to the government but nothing moved this regime, which is insensitive to the plight of various sections. The BJP in Haryana had made 154 promises to the people during the last Assembly elections but nearly four years later, this government has not fulfilled even one. The government has only shown an amazing ability to lie and mislead the people of the state," Hooda alleged.
He said the second phase of his Jankranti Yatra was aimed at ensuring not just a change in the government but also a change in the quality of governance.
"The time has come for the 2.5 crore people of Haryana to join the fight against this anti-people government," Hooda, who addressed the gathering atop a bus modified to look like a 'Rath' (chariot), said. Several MLAs and Congress leaders were present.
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Hooda claimed the anti-farmer policies of the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state had delivered a cruel-blow to the peasants.
"The farmer is being robbed of his produce. Whether it is paddy, mustard, cotton, millet, poplar, onion, tomatoes or potatoes, the peasants are forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices. Low prices have pushed the farmer into deep debt. When the farmer is unable to repay his debt, this government auctions their land," Hooda said warning the government against such policies.
He claimed the government should, not even for a minute, think that farmers were orphans as the Congress would not allow it to auction even an inch of the peasants' land, he said.
Talking about the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojna, Hooda claimed insurance companies were handed premiums adding to Rs 22,000 core while only Rs 12,798 crore was paid as compensation to farmers around the country.
He alleged the Modi government seemed only interested in appeasing and helping rich industrialists.
"The indebted farmer has been forced to pay the premium under the Fasal Bima Yojna and gets no compensation while the private insurance companies have made a windfall profit of Rs 9,000 crore. The government has been helpless against people like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, but is coming heavily after the poor farmers," he said continuing his attack.
He said the government was responsible for farmers not being able pay back loans.
"How will the farmer repay his loans if he does not get a fair price for his produce? If the sugar mills are not clearing their dues, does the government have any face to ask the farmers to repay their debts?" the senior Congress leader asked.
"The government spent crores in the publicity of the Bhavantar Yojna but the farmer has not benefitted from the scheme and he is forced to throw his tomatoes on the roads as the prices have crashed to 40 paise per kg. The irony is that one month later, it would be sold at 100 times the price. This is why the farmer is on the streets today and we stand with the farmers," he added.
Hooda said the working class had been hit the hardest by the policies of the BJP government.
He attacked the state government for its "shoddy" treatment of sportspersons.
"We brought a scheme to harness the potential of our sportspersons and made Haryana a sporting powerhouse as medal winners were honoured and rewarded. Far from honouring them, the present government is insulting them as was evident when sportspersons boycotted a state level awards function," he said.
The former chief minister also expressed his anguish over the power and water supply situation in the state. Hooda claimed government employees were hit by the lack of concern of the state government.
"I have seen temporary employees being regularised but under the present government, I have seen regular employees being turned into temporary employees... the situation wouldnt have come to this if the state government had effectively pursued the case in the courts," he said.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently set aside the 'employee regularisation policy' whereby the previous state government had regularised services of over 20,000 contractual employees.
"Corruption has reached a level where government jobs have become a commodity and a rate list has been put up for different jobs. Cash-for-jobs scam was recently unearthed," Hooda alleged.
He also claimed the state which was considered one of the safest in the country had become the preferred operating ground for criminals.
Hooda also targeted rival opposition party INLD, claiming its "Jail Bharo" agitation on SYL canal issue was a sham.