Saini says Congress ‘misleading’ youth on paper leaks

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday alleged that the Congress was misleading the youth on paper leaks.He said that during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government in 1986, the issue was only discussed in the Lok Sabha, but the bill was not passed, and no law was enacted.

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday alleged that the Congress was misleading the youth on paper leaks.

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini during the 77th State-Level Forest Festival, in Karnal on Thursday. (ANI)

He said that during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government in 1986, the issue was only discussed in the Lok Sabha, but the bill was not passed, and no law was enacted.

“However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi enacted a strict law in 2024. Anyone found tampering with the lives of children will face strict legal action, including a fine of ₹10 crore and a 10-year sentence. It was unfortunate that the kind of words used against the PM, and the words spoken by the children, were not liked even by their parents. I wonder what direction the Congress wants to take the youth and what values it wants to inculcate,” Saini said.

He said the alleged paper leak incident in Punjab was unfortunate and cornered the Bhagwant Mann government and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for their “silence”.

“The lives of youth in Punjab are being jeopardised. They are out on the streets, but no one is listening. Neither the Punjab government nor Rahul is speaking out. On the other hand, the PM has taken cognisance of the paper leak issue and enacted strict laws,” he said.

The programme was presided over by forest minister Rao Narbir Singh, while Haryana assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan was the special guest. The CM along with 800 school students formally inaugurated the event by planting saplings under the PM’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. He also visited an exhibition organised by the forest department and released Haryana Forest News and religious tree plantation booklets.

In his address, the CM said that the state has set a target of planting 14 million trees in 2026-27. “Additionally, dense forests will be developed using the Miyawaki method on 44 hectares. In the last financial year, 15.2 million trees were planted in the state. Fifty-eight herbal parks, 75 Namo parks, Oxy Van (forests) at each district headquarters, Panchavati gardens in villages, and Panchavati gardens at 134 pilgrimage sites in Kurukshetra are being developed. The state’s 610 van mitra (forest friends) are playing a vital role in increasing greenery and conserving plants. Under the Prana Vayu Devta Yojana, an annual incentive of ₹3,000 per tree is being provided for the conservation of 5,360 old and environmentally important trees,” Saini said.