Haryana govt’s policies leading to unemployment, corruption: Hooda

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday hit out at the BJP-led government in the state, alleging that unemployment, corruption and inflation are increasing due to lopsided policies of the present dispensation.Addressing a press conference here, the Congress leader also said the AAPs good show in Punjab will not have much impact in Haryana, asserting that the situation in the state is different.Haryana has once again topped the country with the highest unemployment rate of 26.7 per cent, Hooda said, citing data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday hit out at the BJP-led government in the state, alleging that unemployment, corruption and inflation are increasing due to lopsided policies of the present dispensation.

Addressing a press conference here, the Congress leader also said the AAP’s good show in Punjab will not have much impact in Haryana, asserting that the situation in the state is different.

''Haryana has once again topped the country with the highest unemployment rate of 26.7 per cent,'' Hooda said, citing data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. The Leader of the Opposition in Haryana Assembly said 22 lakh people, out of the state's 95 lakh workforce, are unemployed.

Citing a NITI Aayog report for 2020-21, he said that 11.6 per cent or 30 lakh people in Haryana are living below the poverty line.

Slamming the BJP-JJP government, Hooda said there is also no attention of the government towards health, education and power. ''On account of this, there is a shortage of doctors in hospitals, teachers in schools and employees in government offices,” he pointed out.

At a time when rising petrol and diesel prices have broken the back of common man, prices of DAP fertiliser have been hiked, he said, adding that the government is buying expensive power from outside putting extra pressure on people’s pockets. Hooda alleged that corruption has become uncontrollable in the state. “There have been several scams, including mining and liquor scams, but the government is running away from the CBI investigation. If the government is clean, why is it not ordering a high-level probe?” Hooda asked.

He also alleged that from 2014-19 as many as 2,037 illegal colonies came up in Haryana.

When asked that the Aam Aadmi Party has increased its activities in Haryana after it stormed to power in Punjab, Hooda said when AAP won four Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in 2014 parliamentary elections, it did not help the party later when Haryana polls were held.

''At that time too, they had a government in Delhi, but it did not help them reap gains in Haryana. So, Haryana's situation is different,'' he said.

Replying to a question, Hooda said that there is no infighting in Congress' Haryana unit.

Meanwhile, Hooda reiterated there are three core issues between Punjab and Haryana -- water from Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Hindi-speaking areas and state’s capital.

Notably, the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking completion of the SYL canal and the transfer of Hindi-speaking areas from Punjab, while denouncing the neighbouring state for staking claim over Chandigarh.

“Our priority is that Haryana should first get SYL water as per the Supreme Court's decision, the other issues come after that. We supported the Haryana government on these issues in Vidhan Sabha.

''We have demanded that the chief minister should now seek time from the prime minister for a meeting so that the rights of Haryana can be strongly put before the central government,” he said.