Haryana Cong to hold "Pardafash rally" in Sonipat on Mar 25 to 'expose' state govt's failures

The Congress' Haryana unit on Tuesday said the party will organise a ''Pardafash rally'' in Sonipat on March 25 to expose the failures of the state government. Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged that corruption, crime, drug menace, unemployment, inflation and state debt was on the increase in the state.

The BJP-JJP government has failed on all fronts, he claimed.

A big rally in Sonipat will be held on March 25, Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition, told reporters here.

Hooda also addressed a meeting of workers of five districts -- Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal -- in which party MLAs, former MLAs and senior leaders of the party were present.

According to a party statement, the meeting was called to consult leaders and workers to allocate responsibilities for the party's 'Vipaksh Aapke Samaksh' outreach programme in Yamunanagar. The leaders suggested that the programme should be held on April 2.

Hooda claimed that the mood of the public is clear and they are waiting for the polls next year to vote out the BJP-JJP dispensation.

''There is a perceptible shift towards the Congress which can be seen in party's programmes and the participation of thousands of people at every level and event is seen,'' he said.

Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan said workers and leaders will march from party office here to Raj Bhavan on March 13 to demand an inquiry on the Hindenburg Research report, besides taking up other issues concerning people of the state.

Hooda said the state government should rethink its e-tendering policy in development works in rural areas, which is seeing opposition from several sarpanches.

Not only village sarpanches, but several sections including employees, farmers and youth were agitating in support of their demands.

''The government instead of listening to them has lathicharged farmers, youth, employees, panches and sarpanches. In such a situation, the people of the state are eagerly waiting for elections so that the can get rid of this regime,'' Hooda said.

The Leader of Opposition said elected panchayats are respected by the village. ''Gram Panchayat is the most basic unit of democracy, but the government wants to make them powerless. Through e-tendering, the government also wants to carry out scams in Panchayati Raj, like in mining,” he added. Hooda claimed mustard farmers have to bear a huge loss today. ''After the weather, they are being hit by the apathy of the government. Due to no government procurement, their crop is being sold at Rs 1,000 less than the MSP. The government is delaying the purchase to benefit middlemen,'' he alleged.

Similarly, sugarcane farmers are waiting for the payment of arrears till date. In Naraingarh, farmers are sitting on a dharna due to non-payment by mills, he said.

Hooda reiterated that OPS will be implemented when the Congress government is formed.