Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Hooda on Monday launched a scathing attack on chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and the Bharatiya Janata Party over their claims of triple-engine governance and development in Punjab and other states. Hooda alleged that Haryana has become synonymous with corruption and a safe haven for criminals, while Saini is busy touring Punjab to promote the state's model.
The leader of opposition was accompanied by MPs Varun Chaudhary, Karambir Boudh, MLA Chandermohan, and other senior leaders while campaigning for the party's mayoral candidate for Panchkula, Sudha Bhardwaj.
Hooda challenges CM to debate
Addressing mediapersons, Hooda dared the chief minister to debate on the condition of civic bodies and their infrastructure and administrative failures leading to rampant corruption and problems faced by residents. He added that Haryana had become the most unsafe state in the country. Unemployment here is at its peak, organised crime is on the rise, and demands for extortion and ransom are becoming a constant occurrence, he stated.
Bank frauds and financial mismanagement
Referring to bank frauds, Hooda accused the government of shielding senior officials while scapegoating junior officers. Commenting on the state's financial situation, Hooda said from 1966 to 2014, the state carried a debt burden of Rs 60,000 crore; however, over the last 11 years, the figure had ballooned to Rs 5 lakh crore. The HSVP was originally established to allocate plots to the poor and the middle class, yet now, property dealers are the ones acquiring these plots through auctions, he said.
Triple-engine governance under fire
Hooda's remarks come amid the ongoing election season, with the BJP projecting its triple-engine governance model as a key achievement. The former chief minister, however, dismissed these claims, asserting that the reality on the ground is starkly different. He pointed to rising crime rates, unemployment, and corruption as evidence of the government's failures.
Hooda also criticised the Saini government's handling of law and order, alleging that Haryana has become a safe haven for criminals. He demanded a thorough investigation into recent extortion and ransom cases, holding the government accountable for the deteriorating security situation.
