AJL plot case: Haryana govt aiming for badla, says former CM Hooda

Chandigarh, May 9: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday (May 9) accused the state's BJP government of following a policy of 'badla' (revenge) and charged the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly with being hand in glove with the M L Khattar dispensation for registration of a case in reallotment of a plot to AJL.

Hooda also claimed that no rule was violated in the reallotment of plot to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).

"The BJP government is following a policy of 'badla' (revenge) and 'badli' (transfer) as the Khattar-led government has completely failed to deliver on its election promises and has done nothing for the welfare of people of Haryana," Hooda told reporters here.

The Haryana State Vigilance Bureau had on May 5 registered a case of cheating and corruption against Hooda and four officials of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) for allegedly realloting a plot to AJL in Panchkula in 2005.

Hooda alleged that the BJP government registered the case against him after Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly wrote a letter in this regard.

"Leader of Opposition and INLD leader (Abhay Chautala), on whose letter this action (FIR) was taken, is now the main supporter of the state government," Hooda alleged.

"I want to request the state government to probe the allotment of land worth crores of rupees to 'Jan Sandesh' in Gurgaon and Devi Lal Trust in Chandigarh despite the concerned government departments raising objections in this regard," Hooda said.

"What were the terms and conditions when the plot was allotted to Jan Sandesh and what is happening now. At what rate the land was allotted to Devi Lal Trust. It should also be probed," he said.

Abhay Chautala had on May 3 sought registration of a criminal case against Trustees/Directors of M/s Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the then Chief Minister and Chairman of HUDA, for "illegal" allotment of land in Panchkula near Chandigarh.

Hooda alleged that there was a "sacred alliance" (pavitra gathbandhan) between INLD and BJP.

"INLD which is the main opposition party in the state is playing the role of main ally of BJP in Haryana," he alleged.

"The FIR was registered with vendetta in their mind. BJP government is acting against senior leaders of Congress. But I want to tell them that nobody in the party will be scared with such moves," Hooda said, adding, "my request to the government is that if they want to avenge they should do it once and for all."

To a query about whether the state suffered any financial loss due to reallotment of the plot, Hooda claimed there was no such decision which had caused loss. "HUDA is for no profit and no loss, it is not a profit making organisation," he said. He said plots had been reallotted in the past also, and claimed that "HUDA is an autonomous body and it is competent to do it."

Hitting out at the BJP government, Hooda said the state government has "failed to fulfil its promises" made to public before elections and indulged in such things in order to divert public attention from its "failures".

"BJP government has not done anything for public welfare. People are now asking questions about 154 promises made before elections," he said, adding "you cannot suppress my voice".

"There are several scams which took place during BJP regime like scam in paddy variety, revenue assessment and there was law and order problem in the state," he said.

On the issue of Robert Vadra's land deals, Hooda accused the BJP leaders of giving false statements in connection with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law's company Skylight.

"I had already informed the House that my government never gave a single inch to any builder," he said.

Accusing BJP of engineering violence during the recent Jat agitation, Hooda said the probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court should be conducted in connection with violence and arson during the Jat stir.

"My demand is that a sitting judge of Supreme Court and not a retired judge should probe the incidents," he said.

On the Uttarakhand issue, Hooda called the BJP a "fascist force" and accused it of "suppressing the voice of democracy". On the issue of infighting within the state unit of Congress, Hooda refuted the charge, saying there was "no factionalism" in the party. He said the merger of HJC-led by Kuldeep Bishnoi with Congress indicated that people were in support of Congress which was the only alternative to BJP.

PTI