Rohtak: Leader of the opposition in the Haryana assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Sunday alleged that the Nayab Singh Saini govt “betrayed” the residents of Chanot village.He said it was unfortunate that the village was forced to resort to protests and hunger strikes for basic amenities like water.“A govt representative had installed a water connection point (T-junction) for the village in the presence of the administration, yet it was removed and declared illegal. To this day, the govt has failed to answer a crucial question: if the connection was illegal and not authorised by the govt, why was the administration present on-site during its installation? Why did they remain mere spectators at that time?” Hooda questioned.Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the former CM stated that the govt was responsible for supplying water to both Chanot village and Hansi city. “It is unfortunate…The govt must immediately engage in a dialogue with the villagers and resolve the issue,” said the Congress functionary.He recalled that the Congress govt had established water supply systems across the entire state, and back then, no village or region had to stage such protests. Today, water scarcity plagues not just Chanot but many parts of Haryana. In many colonies of Rohtak, the water supply is contaminated, causing people to fall ill, claimed Hooda.Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Haryana, Hooda remarked that while introducing hydrogen trains was a positive step, the BJP should also acknowledge who built the railway line on which these trains would run. The railway line connecting Sonipat to Jind via Gohana was established by the Congress govt.He demanded that if the PM is visiting Haryana, he should ensure a resolution regarding the state’s water rights before leaving. A Supreme Court verdict on the SYL (Satluj-Yamuna Link) issue was delivered years ago, yet the central govt has failed to implement it or secure Haryana’s share of water, said Hooda.The LoP further stated that granting a parallel electricity distribution license to ‘Eleven Power Private Limited’ in Gurugram and Nuh was a detrimental move towards privatisation, and the Congress party strongly opposes it. This anti-people decision must be withdrawn, he said.“The agricultural consumer segment is being separated from the main distribution utility (Agri-DISCOM) starting August 15 to benefit a private company. This move is designed to exempt the private company from the obligation of supplying electricity to farmers — a sector that receives subsidised power,” he alleged.“The private company will supply electricity only to profitable areas (industrial zones, malls, and commercial hubs), leaving rural populations, the poor, and the farming community dependent on the govt discoms (DHBVN). Deprived of this revenue, the corporation would face a crisis, potentially plunging a large section of the population into an energy crisis,” Hooda added.The former CM pointed out that Gurugram contributed one-third of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam’s total revenue; handing this area over to private companies would severely damage the corporation’s financial health.He also expressed concern over the rising crime rate in the state. Hooda described Haryana as the most unsafe state in the country due to the prevalence of organised crime. He said criminals were acting with impunity, committing acts such as robbery, dacoity, extortion, shootings, and murder.Referring to the misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Hooda remarked, “My grandfather’s name was Maturam, ‘Ram’ was part of his name, and I am a believer in Ram. Who are these people who have appointed themselves as the ‘contractors’ of Ram and even embezzled the offerings? The SIT (special investigation team) has been formed merely to stage a cover-up.”
