Other States - Haryana   

Hooda vows to bring SYL waters

Rajesh Ahuja

Chief Minister counters Indian National Lok Dal chief Chautala's criticism; promises to solve farmers' problems

CHANDIGARH: A day after Indian National Lok Dal leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala publicly hit out at the Congress regime in the State and tried to project himself as the "messiah'' of the farmers, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda not only countered the "vitriolic attack'' but asserted that he would solve all the problems of the "hard-working ryots''.

Mr. Hooda was speaking at a function organised by the Bhartiya Kisan Union at Lochab (Narwana) in Jind district where he was honoured by the BKU chief Ghasi Ram Nain for waiving off huge arrears of Rs.1,600 crores owed by farmers to the Haryana Power Utilities and other initiatives taken by his regime during the last one and a half years to improve their lot.

Political observers here recall that it was Mr. Hooda who way back in 2002 rallied behind the farmers when they were facing police bullets during the Kandela agitation of the BKU against the then Chautala regime. This came out in the speeches of several speakers who praised Mr. Hooda for resolving the long-pending issues facing the farmers, especially at a time when other Chief Ministers in the agrarian States were facing "crises'' relating to the farming community.

Recalling this, Mr.Nain said that Mr. Hooda was a true son of the soil and asserted that the "problems'' still confronting the farmers could only be resolved by the Government headed by him. While pledging to donate his eyes, Mr. Nain became emotional while cautioning that the farmers would no longer be taken for granted and in case the waters of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal did not reach the parched lands in Haryana, they would not only stop the water and electricity reaching Delhi but also block all roads leading to Punjab. Mr.Hooda asserted that even though 90 per cent of the work on the SYL Canal had been completed during Congress rule in the past, no Chief Minister had been able to ensure that the remaining work in Punjab territory was completed. "I reaffirm before you that I will bring the SYL waters to Haryana,'' he asserted amid applause from the farmers. Referring to the demand raised by Mr. Nain and other speakers regarding waiver of loans to eliminate rural indebtedness, Mr. Hooda said he had spoken on this issue in great detail at the recent conclave of Congress Chief Ministers in Nainital. He asserted that the problem could not be solved by waiving off loans; it could be resolved by increasing the prosperity of the farmers and rural folk and his Government was working in this direction.

Mr. Hooda reiterated that the Chautala regime had been thrown out by the people of Haryana for its "corruption and nepotism''. Indirectly referring to the INLD chief's outbursts, he asserted that the people were highly conscious of the ground realities.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Paddy arriving in markets
Hooda assures relief to stir victims
Hooda vows to bring SYL waters

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu