Congress Battles Land Scam Allegations as Haryana Readies for Crucial Assembly Elections
12 Sep 2024 10:10:22
A recent tweet by the Haryana BJP sharply criticised Congress saying that, "Congress's CLU gang intimidated farmers, bought their land worth crores for peanuts, and pleased the party's son-in-law. Bhupinder Hooda Ji, the farmers of Haryana will never forget your atrocities," has raised concerns. This comes as Haryana prepares for its upcoming assembly elections, the political landscape is poised for a multi-cornered contest with all eyes on the state's 90 seats. Scheduled for 5th October, with results to be counted on 8th October, the election is expected to be closely watched, not only in Haryana but across the nation, as other states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir are also set to go to the polls this year. Meanwhile, now the major controversies of land scams surfaced during Congress's tenure have come to light.
During Bhupinder Singh Hooda's tenure as chief minister, multiple land scams came to light. These include the IMT Manesar scam, cash-for-change of land use (CLU) scam, Reliance Industry scam, and the Wazirabad land deal with DLF. The most notorious among these was the IMT Manesar case, where 912 acres of land were allegedly acquired through questionable means, raising concerns about the transparency of land transactions during Congress rule. Other scams, like the Skylight Hospitality case and the sale of over 23,000 acres of land, further fueled public distrust.
One notable case involved the illegal occupation of Panchayat land in Panipat’s Namarha village. Public assets were reportedly misused, and poor and vulnerable sections of society were often the hardest hit.
The "Kharche-Parchi" system also became a point of contention. Under this practice, it was alleged that government jobs were handed out to the highest bidders, with a particular community benefiting disproportionately. This created an atmosphere of injustice and insecurity among other communities who felt sidelined under the Congress government.
Another scandal involved the sale of 25,000 acres of land to Reliance Industries in the Jhajjar-Gurgaon region at prices significantly below market value. The sale of land to DLF in Wazirabad was also seen as a significant misuse of power, as large corporations were allegedly favored over local interests.
As political parties finalize their candidate lists and campaign strategies, the election promises to be a crucial moment for Haryana. Whether the BJP can secure another term or if the Congress can overcome its past controversies remains to be seen, but the election's outcome will undoubtedly shape the political future of the state and send ripples across the national political landscape.
Congress Under Scrutiny for Land Scams
During Bhupinder Singh Hooda's tenure as chief minister, multiple land scams came to light. These include the IMT Manesar scam, cash-for-change of land use (CLU) scam, Reliance Industry scam, and the Wazirabad land deal with DLF. The most notorious among these was the IMT Manesar case, where 912 acres of land were allegedly acquired through questionable means, raising concerns about the transparency of land transactions during Congress rule. Other scams, like the Skylight Hospitality case and the sale of over 23,000 acres of land, further fueled public distrust.
One notable case involved the illegal occupation of Panchayat land in Panipat’s Namarha village. Public assets were reportedly misused, and poor and vulnerable sections of society were often the hardest hit.
The "Kharche-Parchi" system also became a point of contention. Under this practice, it was alleged that government jobs were handed out to the highest bidders, with a particular community benefiting disproportionately. This created an atmosphere of injustice and insecurity among other communities who felt sidelined under the Congress government.
Reliance and DLF Land Deals
Another scandal involved the sale of 25,000 acres of land to Reliance Industries in the Jhajjar-Gurgaon region at prices significantly below market value. The sale of land to DLF in Wazirabad was also seen as a significant misuse of power, as large corporations were allegedly favored over local interests.
As political parties finalize their candidate lists and campaign strategies, the election promises to be a crucial moment for Haryana. Whether the BJP can secure another term or if the Congress can overcome its past controversies remains to be seen, but the election's outcome will undoubtedly shape the political future of the state and send ripples across the national political landscape.