Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today refuted the charge of "political vendetta" leveled against him by his predecessor Bhupinder Singh Hooda in connection with the probe into allotment of industrial plots in Panchkula to Associated Journals Limited.
Hooda, two-time Chief Minister of Haryana and senior Congress leader, hit back, saying he was not going to be cowed down by the probe and the government can order probes by the thousands for the decisions he took while he was in power.
Khattar refuted Hooda's charge over CBI raids in connection with allotment of industrial plots to AJL during the previous Congress rule.
"The misdeeds during his time are being exposed one by one, therefore he (Hooda) is getting nervous and fearing that he might land behind bars," Khattar told reporters here.
Khattar said "he (Hooda) is feeling that the misdeeds committed during his regime will be exposed one by one, therefore he might be thinking to adopt the policy of offence is the best defence but it is not going to benefit him".
The Chief Minister was asked to comment about Hooda's meeting with Congress party workers today, in which 13 sitting MLAs of the Congress, 65 former MLAs, six ex MPs, Congress' Rohtak MP, PCC members, among others took part.
In the meeting, the Congress leaders hit out at the Khattar government and demanded that it should make public the Prakash Singh Committee report on the Jat stir violence issue.
The Chief Minister said "the Committee's report is based on facts and findings which would be presented in the High Court in appropriate time."
Khattar also said that there were several issues about alleged irregularities committed during the time of previous Congress government which were being investigated by various agencies.
"This government only believes in political vendetta.
They are not bothered about works of welfare for the people. When they have nothing to show in their 20 months rule, they have unleashed vendetta to divert public attention," Hooda alleged.
Earlier this month, the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau had registered a case of cheating and corruption against the then chairman of Haryana Urban Development Authority, a post held by the then CM, and some HUDA officials for illegally re-allotting a plot to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) in Panchkula in 2005.
