Congress Leader Brijendra Singh Launches Scathing Attack on Haryana Government During Harmony March
In a significant political development, former Member of Parliament and senior Congress leader Brijendra Singh intensified his criticism of the Haryana government during the Ganaur segment of his ongoing 'Sadbhavna Yatra' (harmony march) on Friday. Singh highlighted multiple concerns including farmers' distress, administrative overreach, and what he described as a growing trust deficit between the state administration and its agricultural community.
Extensive Outreach Across Villages in Final Phase
The harmony march, now in its 188th day, entered Ganaur in Sonipat district as part of its concluding phase. The extensive outreach campaign covered numerous villages including Gumad, Ahir Majra, Kheri Gujar, Atayal, Ahlana, and Khubru. Before engaging in public interactions, Singh—accompanied by former assembly speaker Kuldeep Sharma—visited the Ganaur grain market to personally review wheat procurement operations and directly engage with farmers facing various challenges.
Sharp Critique of Agricultural Policies
Launching a pointed critique, Singh questioned the government's rationale behind linking tractor registration norms with crop procurement procedures. He argued that such requirements create unnecessary barriers for farmers, particularly when agricultural produce is transported using shared or hired machinery. "This is less about regulation and more about burdening farmers with procedural hurdles," Singh stated, suggesting that governance is increasingly focusing on paperwork rather than practical problem-solving.
Highlighting crop losses due to recent unseasonal rainfall, Singh emphasized that farmers are being squeezed between climate volatility and rigid administrative frameworks. He also criticized statements from the state's agriculture establishment, calling them disconnected from ground realities and farmer experiences.
Broader Concerns About Trade and Governance
Expanding his criticism beyond immediate agricultural issues, Singh warned that prospective trade engagements with the United States could have far-reaching implications for India's farm economy, particularly affecting small and marginal farmers who might struggle to compete in international markets.
The former parliamentarian also raised concerns about what he termed a deteriorating law-and-order situation in Haryana, asserting that rising crime rates have significantly eroded public confidence in state security mechanisms. Furthermore, he cited the controversial rollback of pensions for thousands of elderly citizens—later reinstated following substantial public backlash—as indicative of policy inconsistency and inadequate social welfare planning.
Political Significance and Future Implications
With the harmony march scheduled to culminate in Rohtak on May 5, the campaign is increasingly being viewed as a calibrated political outreach effort aimed at consolidating rural sentiment ahead of future electoral contests in Haryana. The presence of senior Congress leaders, including former Union minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, during the Ganaur leg signals the party's strategic intent to amplify its engagement with the farming community and position itself as the primary advocate for agricultural interests in the state.
Singh's comprehensive critique during the Ganaur visit underscores growing political tensions in Haryana, with opposition parties seeking to capitalize on perceived governance gaps and farmer discontent as they prepare for upcoming political battles in the agriculturally significant state.
