Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday claimed that the basic ideas enshrined in the Constitution was under threat in the rule of the BJP government.
Speaking to party workers at the Congress office here, Hooda, who is contesting in the Sonipat Lok Sabha seat, said the people of Jind-Sonipat would play a decisive role in giving a new direction to the future of the country.
"The 2019 Lok Sabha election is extraordinary as the Constitution framed by B R Ambedkar and other founding fathers is under threat," Hooda said. "The basic ideas enshrined in the Constitution are under threat under the BJP-led government at the Centre."
Talking about Jind, Hooda said when the Congress formed the government after winning the 2005 assembly election, three ministerial berths were given to leaders from the district.
"I (as the CM) did whatever they asked me to do for the district. If there is something that still needs to be done, I would do my best to fulfil them as your representative. I share a special bond with the people of the region as my mother was also from this district," the Congress leader said.
Hooda reminded the people about the 2002 Kandela incident when nine farmers were killed in police firing during the rule of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). "When the farmers (demanding waiver of outstanding power bills) were fired upon by the then O P Chautala government, I was the first one to come here and was ready to take a bullet for you. I walked from Jind to Delhi to put a brake on the tyranny of the then state government," he said.
"When we formed the government in 2005, I called officials and told them that I want to waive the pending electricity dues. The officials were reluctant to do so, considering the poor financial condition of the state, but even then we waived electricity bills of Rs 1,600 crore," Hooda said.
The former chief minister said he would ensure that the farmers become debt-free again if the Congress comes to power in Haryana in the assembly election later this year.
Hooda accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being anti-poor and anti-farmer. "I want to ask the government that if loans worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore of the 10 richest people in India can be waived, then why can't the loans of the farmers be waived?" he asked.
"When the Congress was in power, there was no tax on fertilisers, pesticides and tractor spare parts, and price of petroleum products was the lowest in the country. But the BJP government has imposed heavy taxes on these items," he said.
The Congress leader claimed that traders and small businesses were in a state of ruin because of the "twin-blows" of demonetisation and the "hastily-implemented" goods and services tax (GST).
Hooda also hit out at the BJP over the alleged poor law-and-order situation in Haryana, claiming that it had become one of the most-peaceful states in the country when the Congress was in power. "But now, it has become notorious for incidents of loot, dacoity, rape and other crimes against women," he added.
The Congress leader is pitted against the ruling BJP's sitting MP, Ramesh Chander Kaushik, and Digvijay Chautala, who had formed the Jannayak Janata Party recently after splitting from the INLD.
The 10 Lok Sabha seats of Haryana goes to polls on May 12.
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