Congress Holds Strategy Meeting Ahead of Haryana Budget Session
In Chandigarh, the Congress party on Thursday conducted a comprehensive three-hour meeting to devise its strategy for the upcoming Budget session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. The session is scheduled to commence on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the state.
Protests and Key Issues to Be Raised
During the meeting, Congress leaders announced plans for significant protests against the ruling BJP government. Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Congress president Rao Narendra, who also attended, revealed that Congress MLAs will stage a protest march to the assembly on February 24. Additionally, on February 25, they intend to surround the House in opposition to the proposed scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Hooda addressed the media, outlining a broad agenda of issues that the Congress will challenge the BJP government on. These include:
- Unemployment and job creation
- Law and order concerns, including extortion and drug abuse
- Migration patterns and their impact
- Toll collection practices
- Support for sports and sportspersons
- The paddy scam investigation
- Implementation of family identity cards
- Rising fertiliser prices affecting farmers
Comprehensive List of Additional Concerns
The party also resolved to bring attention to several other critical matters during the session. These encompass:
- The trade deal negotiations with the United States
- Cuts to pensions for senior citizens
- Provision of ration cards for impoverished families
- Alleged irregularities in Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) recruitment processes
- Issues related to giving Haryana jobs to outsiders
- Pending compensation for farmers
- Problems of waterlogging in various regions
- Cases filed against opposition MLAs
- Illegal mining activities
- Corruption allegations across departments
- The state's economic challenges and rising inflation
- Scams reported in multiple government departments
In preparation, Congress MLAs have submitted adjournment and calling-attention motions. They will also pose numerous questions pertaining to their respective constituencies to hold the government accountable.
Strong Criticism on Job Outsourcing
Responding to queries about job allocation to outsiders, Hooda launched a sharp critique against the BJP government. He asserted, "The BJP is sabotaging the future of Haryana's youth. There is no state that prefers outsiders over local youth for jobs. In Haryana, the situation is such that the BJP government gives 78 out of 80 posts to people from other states."
He further emphasized the party's stance on HPSC irregularities, stating, "The arbitrariness of the HPSC is intolerable. The Congress will raise this issue in the assembly and demand answers from the government." The meeting also involved discussions on memoranda submitted by various delegations from Haryana, highlighting local problems and grievances.
This strategic planning underscores the Congress party's intent to vigorously oppose the government's policies and advocate for pressing public issues during the Budget session.
