Hooda attacks Centre over farmers issue

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today attacked the BJP-led central government over farmers issue and accused it of "misleading" them with false promises.

Addressing a gathering at the Anaaj Mandi at Tohana in Fatehabad district, Hooda said if the Congress is voted back to power in Haryana after next year's Lok Sabha polls, it would provide relief to all sections of the society.

Hooda launched a scathing attack at the BJP over its alleged attempts to mislead the farmers on remunerative pricing for agricultural commodities.

"The government claims to have implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and is patting itself on the back after it raised crop MSP...the revised minimum support price is based only on part of the input costs, not comprehensive costs as suggested by the Swaminathan Commission. I assure that (if voted to power) the Congress would provide 50 per cent profits to farmers on C2 (comprehensive) costs," he told the gathering after launching fourth phase of his 'Jankranti Yatra' here.

"We dont make false promises, we had waived pending electricity bills worth Rs 1,600 crore in Haryana (during previous Hooda led Congress government--2005-2009)," he said.

The former chief minister attacked the BJP government over the poor condition of power supply in the state.

"The BJP has promised 24 hours of electricity for the people of the state, but do we get electricity for 24 hours?" he asked.

"Before the elections, the BJP had promised to give jobs to youth. They promised jobless youth an unemployment allowance of Rs 9,000 per month, but they have neither provided the jobs nor the unemployment allowance," he claimed.

Hooda also talked about the issue of drug addition and called on the youth to stay away from drugs.

He said parents have an additional responsibility of keeping a close watch on their children to ensure that they stay away from all kinds of intoxicants.

Hooda attacked the state government for its alleged failure to maintain law and order situation in the state.

"It is a matter of shame for all of us that Haryana has become the number one in the country for crime against women. The gangrape of a young woman in Panchkula is the latest example," he said.

"During the Congress rule, Haryana was number one in the country in per-capita income, per-capita investments, agriculture, sports and several other fields. The BJP has pushed the state into despair. If people bring back the Congress, we will bring back the state to its old glory and make Haryana the number one state in progress and development," Hooda said.