Bhupinder Singh Hooda: Will remain a party soldier… not going anywhere

We have a democratic set-up. So, whoever has the majority forms the government. In 2014, BJP formed the government. At that time, I had said that since BJP had made so many promises, I would keep mum for one year and watch the government’s performance closely. If the government performs well and takes good decisions, I would welcome it. But, if the government takes any decision that is anti-people, I will oppose it. So, after one year when I saw that the government did not even take first steps towards fulfilling their tall promises, I decided to hit the roads. I started with kisan panchayats, followed by Dalit panchayats, vyapaari sammelans and so on. After witnessing people’s plight, I decided on this Jan Kranti Yatra.

This government has emerged only as an “event management government”. For instance, the Investors Summit that was held in Gurgaon and it was announced that Rs 6 lakh crore investment is going to come to Haryana. Unfortunately, not even Rs. 6,000 crore investment has come to the state….When I left the government, the total liability of the state was Rs 60,000 crore. They (BJP) presented their first budget in 2015 and the loan was Rs 70,000 crore. When they presented their last budget (in 2018), the liability has reached Rs. 1.6 lakh crore.

But the government has recently announced that Hisar-Chandigarh and Hisar-Delhi flights shall take off from August 15. Isn’t it an achievement?

There were two airports, Hisar and Karnal. Both were sanctioned during my tenure and international airport cargo terminal was almost sanctioned during my tenure. It was shifted to Uttar Pradesh. All clearances from air force, airports authority were given during my tenure. It is a matter of record. I went to Karnal recently. They (BJP) had not been able to even acquire the land for Karnal airport’s expansion. It has gone into a dispute. When there is a land acquisition policy (formulated during Hooda’s tenure), why don’t they follow it? Because, this government is anti-farmer, they don’t want to compensate the farmer in lieu of his land…Upgradation of Hisar airport was sanctioned during my tenure.

Through these Jan Kranti Yatras, are you trying to strengthen your positioning in front of party high command as it’s nominee?

That I don’t need to do. My party high command knows me, who I am and what I am. That is not the situation. It is my duty. I have a responsibility towards the people who have elected me. I have to raise the issues of my people. They are suffering. If I keep mum, then nobody else will speak for them. Because, the INLD is already in league with the BJP. As the main opposition, they are not performing their role.

Randeep Singh Surjewala and Bhupinder Singh Hooda (R). (Express photo by Jaipal Singh/File)

Do you think that a late declaration of party’s face affect its prospects in the polls?

Appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time. And what is an appropriate time, the party high command will decide.

Why didn’t people give you the mandate and they preferred the BJP? Congress finished third.

They were elected because they made tall promises. Now, they have proved to be a failure. That’s why people are recalling our days. That’s why I am getting such an immense response in my Jan Kranti Yatras…In their manifesto, BJP made 154 promises. Not even a single promise has been fulfilled.

How do you view government’s recent two controversial notifications pertaining to giving award money to medal-winning sportspersons?

I cannot recall any such incident, where the state government holds a function to honour its medal winners, and the players decide to boycott it. If they go to Olympic or Commonwealth, they bring pride to the country and not just the state. To say that if a player from Haryana plays from Railways, the government will deduct the prize money that he gets from Railways, it’s foolish. Players should be motivated and honoured, not discouraged. One wrestlers (Mausam Khatri) approached me. Government organised a state level wrestling competition and announced a prize of Rs 1 crore. He won, but had to approach the court to get that award money. He got it after six months after court’s intervention. Another, Virender Pehalwan, who had won in paralympics is running from pillar to post for the last four years seeking his award money. He barely got Rs 1 crore, while as per government’s announcement, Rs 8 crore award money is due to him.

You started your Yatra from Hodal, followed by Samalkha and Panipat and now you will be heading to Mewat and other areas? How did you draw this route map?

I want to reach out to the people of different regions of the state. The GT road is the paddy belt, which is one of the most affected sectors among many others, when we talk about farmers. I will be going to Mewat, then to Fatehabad followed by Yamunanagar and then to Mahendergarh and other areas.

INLD’s Abhay Chautala made a statement that you may quit Congress and go to the BJP. What do you say on that?

People elected INLD as a main opposition. But now they have emerged as BJP’s main spokespersons…They say things like this, because they have Hooda-phobia. Otherwise, how does he know about BJP’s decision or mine? He doesn’t even know who is the CM candidate of his own party. They (INLD) started SYL movement. Who doesn’t know why the SYL is delayed? Every Haryanvi knows that INLD is 100 per cent responsible for it…When Parkash Singh Badal was Punjab CM, they announced that thousands of people will go and dig the SYL canal. They went and barely scratched the roadside and returned. INLD is doing the same with their Jail Bharo campaign. Which jail they have gone? Can they name any jail? They go to a place, government sends a bus, they roam around and they are released; or a SDM goes to their public meeting, takes a list of people present from them, arrests them and releases them right there. All this is nothing but a drama.

After Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as party president, what changes do you think have been introduced in the party’s poll strategies?

If you look at the history of Congress, every party president has contributed towards strengthening the party. He will also do that. He will expand the party. Karnataka is a recent example. We will have Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh polls this year. You will see the results.

Since you are a Jat leader, do you think your nomination as party’s face will polarise the Jat and non-Jat votes?

That is only your (media’s) perception. I don’t do caste politics. I am the son of a farmer and I fight for them because I know that if a farmer is happy, all sections of society will be happy.

If the party doesn’t consider you as its face in the forthcoming polls, then what?

I am a soldier of the party. These are all rumours. My four generations have been in Congress. I know the party takes appropriate decisions at an appropriate time. It is a big party. It has got room for everyone. Selfish people must be spreading such rumours in self-interest. I am not going anywhere.