Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that corruption and favouritism ruled the roost during previous regimes in Haryana, but the M L Khattar-led BJP government in the state has brought transparency in all spheres.
During the course of his 34-minute speech, most part of which he dedicated in heaping praise on Khattar and his government, Rajnath Singh equated the chief minister to a 'faqir' (ascetic) who dedicated his entire life towards public service.
The defence minister said Khattar had from time to time given account of the work of his government and would do the same while touring different assembly constituencies of the state during Jan Ashirwad Yatra, which was flagged off on Sunday. The yatra will culminate at Rohtak on September 8.
"We do politics where we can see eye-to-eye with public and not put dust into their eyes by making false promises and misleading them," he said while addressing a public rally here ahead of the assembly polls, which are due in October.
Hitting out at previous dispensations in the state, Rajnath Singh said, "Earlier, such conditions prevailed that nothing used to move without money and without corruption. There was corruption in giving jobs and favouritism ruled the roost."
He said the BJP government has showed zero tolerance towards corruption and vowed that anyone found guilty of corruption will be punished.
Equating Khattar to a 'faqir' (ascetic), the defence minister said, "After the BJP got majority votes in the Haryana Assembly polls in 2014, the BJP Parliamentary Board took the decision to hand over the reins of government in the state to Khattar, whom I have known for 30 years and who has dedicated his entire life to serving people."
"It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who first realised the worth of this gem (Khattar)," Rajnath Singh said, heaping praise on the Haryana chief minister.
"After judging the work of his government in the past five years, even people have come to a conclusion that the Khattar regime has delivered on all fronts," he said.
He exuded confidence that the BJP will once again form government in Haryana.
"A true public representative gives accounts of the work he has done by giving a report card to the people and this helps the electorate in judging him," he said.
The defence minister said with the help of the Centre, a number of unprecedented developmental projects in the state have been undertaken.
"In terms of 'ease of doing business', Haryana, which was at 14th position earlier, is now at third spot and I am confident that in the next two to three years, it will jump to the top spot," he said.
Singh said investments worth Rs 85,000 crore have been attracted by the state.
Khattar, who also addressed the rally, said his government has provided a clean, transparent and corruption-free administration.
"We had taken a pledge and we changed the way how previous governments functioned. The aim of the previous governments in Haryana used to be something else and to realise that aim they used to play a game in which they used to put family and relatives first. To realise this aim, they used to indulge in corruption and corrupt practices," he alleged.
"For us 2.5 crore people of Haryana are our family. We have not come here to reap the fruits of power, but for us this is an opportunity to serve people," Khattar said.
Appealing to people to help the BJP realise its target of winning 75 plus seats in the upcoming assembly polls, the chief minister said, "In a democratic set up, one has to go to people to renew license (seek re-election) and we are confident that people will once again bring us back to power."
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, who is party's election in-charge for Haryana, Krishan Pal Gurjar and Rattan Lal Kataria, among others attended the rally.
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