Selja, Kiran skip 100th birth anniversary event of ex-minister Ajay Yadav’s father

Among the senior leaders, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state party chief Udai Bhan, Haryana affairs in-charge Deepak Babaria and senior leader Anil Shastri attended the event

Senior Congress leaders Kumari Selja and Kiran Choudhry skipped the function to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Haryana minister Ajay Yadav’s father Rao Abhay Singh in Rewari on Friday.

HT Image

Among the senior leaders, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state party chief Udai Bhan, Haryana affairs in-charge Deepak Babaria and senior leader Anil Shastri attended the event.

Ajay Yadav had invited senior leaders for the programme and the leaders from Hooda faction attended the function while other gave a miss.

On being asked about a rift within the Haryana Congress, leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the party is united and they will change the regime in the upcoming polls. He added that he did not know why some leaders missed the function organised by Ajay Yadav.

Two senior Congress leaders, who attended the programme, pleading anonymity, said Selja and Kiran had skipped the function as Ajay Yadav has observed closeness with Hooda in the last couple of months. Earlier, Yadav was considered a critic of Hooda.

“ Five days ago, Deepender Hooda had attended a programme called by Ajay Yadav’s son Chiranjeev Rao, MLA from Rewari, and this shows that both the political families have improved their bitter relations in the last couple of months,” they added.

On the occasion, a book based on the life of Rao Abhay Singh was released and leaders highlighted his contribution to society.

Addressing the gathering Hooda expressed concern over the condition of the farmers of Haryana.

“The government announces MSP every year but they fail to procure crops on it. The MSP of Bajra is ₹2,500 per quintal while the market rate in mandis is just ₹1,800-1,900 per quintal. Farmers are facing a loss of ₹600 to ₹700 per quintal. The procurement has not yet been started by the government. The government should start the procurement process soon and compensate the farmers for the low rate,” he added.

Hooda said farmers from Sirsa, Fatehabad, Ambala and other districts are demanding compensation for damage caused by floods, but the government has turned deaf.

“Farmers are on a warpath against the government and they are forced to sit on dharna for their demands. We have raised farmers’ issues in the state assembly but the government has cornered itself, “ he added

He said farmers are being cheated continuously in the name of schemes like PM Fasal Bima and Bhavantar Bharpayi Yojna. “These schemes were introduced to fleece farmers and give crores of benefit to insurance companies,” he added.

The former chief minister said his government had approved AIIMS in Rewari but the BJP in its rule failed to build it.