BJP has ruined Haryana’s law and order and economy: Hooda

Kurukshetra: Former Haryana chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday alleged that the BJP government has completely ruined Haryana’s law and order and pushed the state’s economy into a crisis. He said the present government was limited to “event management and propaganda” and had no concrete achievements to show on the ground.

Addressing a press conference and the Congress training camp in Kurukshetra for the second consecutive day, Hooda said organised crime was at its peak in the state. “Criminals are committing crimes fearlessly and even openly taking responsibility for them. More than 80 organised gangs are active in Haryana, involved in murders, robberies, dacoities and kidnappings for ransom,” he claimed. Citing the Social Progress Index of the Central Government, Hooda said Haryana has been ranked as the most unsafe state in the country.


State Congress president Rao Narendra Singh, former minister and Thanesar MLA Ashok Arora, Shahabad MLA Ramkaran Kala, Pehowa MLA Mandeep Chatha, several MLAs and senior leaders were present on the occasion. Rao Narendra Singh also gave a detailed account of the programme.

Hooda further accused the BJP of being disconnected from reality, stating that the state’s economic condition was alarming. He said Haryana’s total debt stood at about Rs 60,000 crore from 1966 to 2014, but has now crossed Rs 5 lakh crore. As a result, Haryana ranks 14th among 18 states in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index. He added that since 2018–19, around 1,446 factories in the state have either shut down or shifted elsewhere, leading to a severe decline in job creation and record levels of unemployment.

Earlier, addressing party functionaries, Hooda spoke about the history, ideology and policies of the Congress party. He congratulated newly elected district presidents and expressed hope that they would discharge their responsibilities with dedication, impartiality and fearlessness.

Describing the post of district president as one of prestige and honour, Hooda said several eminent leaders, including Sir Chhotu Ram, Chaudhary Bansi Lal and Banarsi Das Gupta, had held the position. He urged party leaders to take pride in the Congress’s legacy of struggle, sacrifice and service, stating that the party was not just an organisation but a culture and an ideal. Quoting Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Hooda said a society that forgets its great leaders and history cannot create a new future.

He said that under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, national leaders united India’s diversity into a single thread, giving the country one flag, one Constitution and a democratic system that ensured dignity, equality, freedom and fraternity for all citizens. Even after Independence, he added, Congress leaders fought illiteracy, poverty and backwardness, while strengthening democratic values under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Referring to Haryana, Hooda said successive Congress governments—from Bhagwat Dayal Sharma to Chaudhary Bansi Lal and Chaudhary Bhajan Lal—played a key role in making the state one of the leading states in the country. He claimed that during his two terms as Chief Minister, Haryana emerged as the number one state on several development indicators, including per capita income, investment, job creation, law and order, and respect for farmers and sportspersons.