Jat stir: Hooda demands dismissal of Khattar govt

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today sought dismissal of the BJP dispensation in Haryana and imposition of President's rule over its "failure" to tackle the violence during Jat quota agitation terming it the most "incompetent government" in the state's 50-year history.
"We demand that government be dismissed, state assembly dissolved and President's rule imposed. In the 50-year history of Haryana, never before have we come across such an incompetent government, which has failed on all fronts," Hooda told reporters here.
Hooda also demanded setting up of a panel headed by a Supreme Court judge to go into the violence during the Jat quota stir.

"What happened was sad and unfortunate... A judicial commission of inquiry, headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, should be set up to go into the violence during the stir."
On the arrest warrant issued against his former political advisor Virender after the latter failed to appear before police in a sedition case registered against him in Rohtak during the Jat stir, Hooda said, "he should join investigations. I am a law abiding citizen and I would say this to him".
"A conspiracy was hatched by BJP and RSS to disturb Haryana's peace, harmony and brotherhood. They wanted to create a new votebank. An attempt was made to divide people but we will not allow it to happen..Why is the government hesitating in setting up the judicial commission if it has nothing to hide?" he said.

"What was the conspiracy, people need to know. We are of the view that this incompetent government cannot probe its own failures, therefore we demand a commission of inquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge," Hooda said.

He claimed that before the Assembly election in the state in October, 2014, BJP had made several promises to people, "but they failed to fulfil any of those".
Hooda said, "30 lives were lost and property worth crores of rupees was damaged during the agitation as the government failed to handle the situation."
He said house of Congress leader and former Minister Geeta Bhukkal was burnt in Jhajjar, while another leader Anand Singh Dangi's office was set on fire during the stir.

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Hooda also said, "Virender had applied for anticipatory bail, but he should face the law."
"He (Virender) should have joined the investigations, but it is his independent right," he said adding Virender was no longer his political advisor.
Police had on February 24 booked Virender, and another person on sedition charges after the duo's 90-second audio clip of a purported conversation, allegedly to incite violence during the Jat agitation, had gone viral on social media.
"I am again saying that a Supreme Court judge should probe everything. A case has been registered against him (Virender) and whosoever is guilty must face the law," he said.

He also said that various other audio/video clips were circulating post Jat agitation and the veracity of these must also be verified.
The former two-time CM also accused some BJP leaders for making contradictory statements during and before the Jat stir, which "complicated the situation".
On Haryana Janhit Congress chief Kuldeep Bishnoi's allegations that Virender was hiding in "Hooda's resort at Goa", the former CM said, "Kuldeep is like my younger brother. Let him accompany me and show me the resort, but if he fails to do so, he should at least give me a flat in Goa."
When asked to comment on allegations by some BJP leaders have alleged that he fuelled the stir whose epicentre was Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonipat, considered as his stronghold, Hooda said, "I am seeking a probe by a Supreme Court judge because such wild allegations are being made. I want that entire conspiracy to be unravelled."

On Khattar government's proposal to bring a bill in the coming assembly session to give reservation to Jats and four other castes without tinkering with the 27 per cent OBC quota, Hooda said, "How to provide the reservation is the job of the government."
On the global investors summit in Gurgaon, he said, "I hope that a year from now, the promises of investments made are realised and not restricted to paper only".
Hooda said aftermath of the unfortunate incidents in Haryana recently, Congressmen from the state have decided not to celebrate Holi this year.