Will reinstate Punjab Land Preservation Act if voted to power: Bhupinder Singh Hooda

After the Haryana Vidhan Sabha passed the controversial PLPA amendment bill on Wednesday, Opposition MLAs alleged that real estate developers, mining companies and ruling BJP leaders would profit from the changes, whereas ecology and environment would get destroyed.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the Congress would undo the amendments to the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) if voted to power in the state.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a two-time Congress chief minister, said he would also meet Haryana governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and impress upon him to not grant assent to the amendment bill. (File Photo)

Speaking to journalists, Hooda, a two-time Congress chief minister, said he would also meet Haryana governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and impress upon him to not grant assent to the amendment bill.

After the Haryana Vidhan Sabha passed the controversial PLPA amendment bill on Wednesday, members of the legislative assembly(MLAs) from the opposition parties alleged that real estate developers, mining companies and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders would profit from the changes, whereas the ecology and environment would get destroyed.

The opposition had also raised questions over the intent of the BJP government behind proposing the PLPA amendments. “Following the amendment, there has been an escalation in the prices of land, which were till now protected under the PLPA notifications,” Hooda said.

Former assembly speaker and Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian, who accompanied Hooda, issued a note of caution saying those who were trying buy PLPA protected tracts or seeking land use change should hold themselves back since the Congress would certainly repeal the amendments.

The state government had on Wednesday rejected the demand of the Congress and Indian National Lok Dal legislators to refer the controversial amendment Bill to a committee of the state assembly for re-examination.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the assembly, Kiran Choudhry had said that amendment in the PLPA would allow the realtors to intrude the Aravallis, thereby adversely affecting the ecology and environment.