Chandigarh, July 22 (IANS) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Wednesday condemned the use of force against party leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has turned the state into a hub for paper leaks.
He said staging peaceful protests regarding public issues “is both the right and the responsibility of every citizen and public representative. The demands made by students and the Opposition are entirely legitimate”.
The LoP said, “Today, the entire nation is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, yet the BJP government at the Centre remains adamant.” Hooda added that instead of seeking his resignation, the government was attempting to suppress the voices of the Opposition and the public.
Responding to a media query at his residence here, Hooda remarked that the BJP has turned Haryana into a hub for paper leaks. He said that the Congress, as a responsible Opposition, has consistently raised this issue for nearly 12 years.
He added that while the government has started investigations, neither was the inquiry report ever made public nor was any action taken against the culprits. “In essence, whether in Haryana or at the Centre, the government is shielding those responsible for paper leaks. Consequently, it is crucial to fix government accountability,” he said.
Hooda said this is why students across the country are agitating for reforms in the examination process. He added that instead of engaging with them and accepting their demands, the government is resorting to lathi charges, which is condemnable.
He said just as it is doing nationwide, the Congress is raising this issue in Haryana, from the streets to the legislative Assembly.
Responding to questions regarding farmers, Hooda said no agricultural product deal with the US could be in India’s interest. He said he would comment in detail only after all the terms and provisions of the deal are revealed. For now, he said, the government must fulfil the promises made to farmers and provide a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).
Regarding the BJP’s protests at Congress headquarters, Hooda described them as an attempt to divert attention from the real issues. He said the BJP needs to answer for the paper leak, yet it is staging protests against the Opposition, which he termed pure political theatrics.
–IANS
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