‘Gang culture, trade fears in Hry’: Hooda slams BJP

Hisar: Former Haryana chief minister and state's current leader of the opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has accused the state govt of "maliciously targeting" rival lawmakers to mask a "total collapse in law and order, as industries begin to flee the region".Speaking in Hisar on Monday, the Congress veteran claimed the state had become a playground for organised crime, citing reports of up to 90 active gangs operating with near-total impunity. The scathing critique comes ahead of a high-stakes assembly session where the opposition plans to move a special resolution on public safety. Hooda's primary focus was the "deteriorating security environment", which he argued was stifling economic growth. He pointed to a brazen recent murder in Rohtak, committed near the inspector general's office, as proof that criminals no longer feared the state.Hooda alleged that 80 to 90 gangs were active in Haryana, claiming responsibility frequently for high-profile crimes on social media. "Businessmen, doctors, and professionals are being hounded for extortion," Hooda said. "Industries are migrating and investment is declining. Development is impossible in an atmosphere of fear." The LoP condemned a recent FIR (first-information report) against the Guhla Cheeka MLA — who reportedly showed a "rattle" to an official to protest govt inaction — as a tactic to silence elected representatives.The ‘Anti-Farmer' Trade DealShifting to the economy, Hooda joined a growing chorus of leaders attacking a proposed trade agreement with the US. He characterised the deal as a direct threat to Haryana's agricultural backbone. "The reduction in tariffs will devastate our cotton growers and other farmers," Hooda warned. "This deal is fundamentally anti-farmer." He further alleged a "stealth tax" on agriculture, claiming the govt reduced the weight of fertiliser bags from 50 kg to 40 kg while keeping prices static.Welfare and Pension CutsHooda also took aim at the state's management of social safety nets, alleging significant "post-election" cuts to aid for the poor. Nearluy 14 lakh ration cards have been cancelled statewide, including 54,000 in the Ambala district alone. He alleged that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana had generated more than ₹2,000 crore in profit while paying out less than 10% of claims to struggling farmers. Hooda dismissed the govt's claim of "restoring" 70,000 pensions, noting it contradicts their previous insistence that no pensions had been cut in the first place.Despite recent police actions against Congress workers in Panchkula, Hooda remained defiant, stating that "water cannons and detentions" would not deter the opposition from challenging the govt on employment and public safety in the upcoming legislative sitting. MSID:: 128468199 413 |