Hooda Alleges 'Scripted Tussle' Between Regional Parties and BJP in Haryana
Former Haryana chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday made serious allegations against the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), claiming they are acting in tandem with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in what he described as a "scripted tussle" designed to mislead the public.
Fixed Fight to Create Confusion
Interacting with mediapersons after visiting the Hansi grain market, Hooda asserted that the two regional parties are engaging in a "merely fixed fight with the government to create confusion." His remarks came in response to queries about police stopping the convoy of a former deputy chief minister, suggesting such incidents are part of a coordinated political theater.
The Congress leader was accompanied by MLAs Chandra Prakash and Bajrang Garg during his market visit, where he highlighted multiple governance failures affecting agricultural communities.
Sharp Decline in Wheat Procurement
Drawing a stark comparison with the previous Congress regime, Hooda revealed alarming statistics about wheat procurement in Haryana. He stated that during the Congress government in 2013, more than 8.7 million metric tonnes (MMT) of wheat was successfully procured from farmers.
In contrast, he claimed the current BJP government has set a significantly lower target of only 7.2 MMT despite similar acreage and yield levels across the state. "Procurement has steadily declined since the BJP came to power," Hooda emphasized, pointing to what he views as systematic neglect of agricultural interests.
Farmers Facing Multiple Crises
During his tour of markets across Haryana, Hooda documented several critical issues affecting farmers:
- Delayed Payments: Farmers are experiencing payment delays of 5-8 days, with only Rs 741 crore cleared from total dues of Rs 2,714 crore
- Inadequate Storage: Only 1.6 MMT of wheat has been lifted so far due to insufficient storage capacity
- Forced Storage: Farmers are being compelled to store their produce on roads, highways, and in open fields
Burdensome Procurement Process
Hooda strongly criticized the current procurement system, alleging that multiple bureaucratic requirements are creating unnecessary hurdles for growers. These include:
- Portal registration procedures
- Gate pass requirements
- Biometric verification systems
- Tractor detail documentation
- Additional verification processes
"Arrivals are strong, but procurement remains negligible due to these hurdles," he stated, suggesting that despite good harvests, farmers are unable to sell their produce efficiently.
Women's Reservation Implementation Delayed
The Congress leader also addressed the women's reservation issue, noting that the bill passed in the Lok Sabha in September 2023 remains unimplemented. He accused the BJP of unnecessarily complicating the process by linking it with delimitation exercises, further delaying political representation for women.
Hooda concluded that all sections of society, including farmers, laborers, and commission agents, are experiencing significant distress under the current administration, calling for urgent policy interventions to address these systemic failures.
