Chandigarh, Nov. 6 -- Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday attacked the BJP government over law and order, unemployment, rising debt and the Agnipath scheme, saying Union Home Minister Amit Shah should have discussed the state's pressing issues during his visit.
Hooda cited the Centre's Social Progress Index, which identifies Haryana as the country's most unsafe state, and NCRB data showing the state among the leading states in crimes such as rape, murder, kidnapping, extortion and firing incidents.
Addressing a press conference, he claimed around 80 criminal gangs were active in Haryana. He also pointed out that the state ranked 14th in fiscal health, 15th in debt accumulation and 11th in the Sustainable Development Goals index.
Accusing the BJP of having no significant achievements to showcase after 12 years in power, Hooda questioned its decision to stage protests against the Opposition, describing it as a case of "the thief scolding the policeman".
Recalling Haryana's formation in 1966, he said the state had made considerable progress under successive governments. He claimed the Congress government had established several educational, medical and technical institutions across Haryana and brought four thermal power plants and a nuclear power plant to the state.
In contrast, he alleged, the BJP had neither established new institutions nor initiated any major project during its tenure.
Hooda also criticised the Agnipath scheme, claiming that the annual recruitment of Haryana's youths into the Army had declined from 5,500 before its introduction to 950. He demanded permanent recruitment of Agniveers.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.