Centre's decision on export of non-basmati rice anti-farmer: Hooda

Rohtak, Sep 10 (IANS) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday termed the Central government's decision to impose 20 per cent duty on export of non-basmati rice and ban on export of broken rice as anti-farmer.

He said the farmers would not be able to benefit from the high prices of foodgrains in the international market owing to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Hooda has demanded immediate withdrawal of this decision. Along with this, he also asked the BJP-JJP government in the state to start the procurement of paddy from September 20.

Responding to a media query about a Maruti unit to be set up in Kharkhoda, Hooda said the approval for the project was given by the previous Congress government.

"An in-principle agreement had been reached during his visit to Japan as Chief Minister. We had detailed dialogue for investment in Manesar, Rohtak and Kharkhoda, during the Congress government itself, but it got delayed by eight years due to the current BJP-JJP government," he said.

About the names of MLAs coming up one after the other in the recruitment scams, Hooda reiterated that in Haryana jobs are being sold like goods at groceries store. "Open bidding of jobs is being carried out in this government, and ironically the government is calling this transparency. One after the other revelations have proved the allegations of the Opposition right."

"The Congress raised this issue from the streets to the assembly. An assurance of action was also given by the government. But despite the evidence of corruption from HSSC to HPSC coming to the fore and lakhs of rupees were caught from the HPSC office, the government did not take any action," the Leader of Opposition said.

He said the Congress had demanded a CBI investigation into the recruitment scam, under the supervision of the sitting judge of the high court. "However, this demand was not accepted due to the intent of the government. This is the attitude of the government on every scam. To appear that they are doing something, small fish are caught, while large crocodiles remain untouched. It is clear that the government is giving protection to scamsters."

"From illegal mining to illegal drug trade, corruption is flourishing under the protection of the government," he said.

He said the government is running away from conducting a CBI investigation even in the Sonali Phogat murder case while the family is repeatedly demanding the government to conduct a CBI inquiry.

The former Chief Minister said it was also the responsibility of the government to allay the apprehensions of the victim's family.

On the SYL canal issue, he said Haryana has full rights over water. "Haryana has won the case in the Supreme Court. Providing water to the state is the job of the Central and state governments. If the Punjab government is not providing water, then the Haryana government should file a contempt case in the Supreme Court," he added.