Bhupinder Hooda slams Haryana govt on inflation, rising fuel prices

Chandigarh: Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Wednesday questioned the policies of the BJP-JJP government in the state on the increasing rates of petrol and diesel and said that the fuel was the cheapest during the Congress rule in the state which is now "more expensive as compared to neighbouring states".

Addressing reporters at his Chandigarh residence today, Hooda said, "Petrol and diesel in Haryana were the cheapest in the neighbouring states during the Congress government in Haryana. Every petrol pump located on the border used to have boards that said fuel was cheaper than in other states but now fuel is more expensive in Haryana as compared to neighbouring states. People of Haryana have to buy fuel at a higher rate." "It seems as if the government is reading the table of 35 and 80 with the rate of petroleum products," he quipped taking a jibe at the government.

The former Chief Minister hit out and said that the present BJP government has "launched an attack" on the household budget of the middle class by "increasing the electricity rates".
"By increasing the electricity rates, the Haryana government has launched another attack on the household budgets of the middle class. The government is reducing the production of power plants in the state and is putting the burden of inflation on the people by buying expensive power from outside," Hooda said.
He further announced that free electricity will be provided to the poor families "when the Congress government is formed".

"In order to give relief to the public, free electricity will be provided to poor families and electricity at affordable rates to the middle class when the Congress government is formed in the future," he said.
The Leader of the Opposition also accused the state government of corruption and alleged that the government is "running away from the CBI investigation".

"Countless scams like mining, liquor, registry and recruitment are being carried out, but the government is running away from the CBI investigation. If the government is clean, why is it not facing a high-level probe, who does the government want to save," he said. (ANI)