Chandigarh, 27 January- Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said these assembly elections were momentous elections for the Punjab and the people should vote on the basis of policy, leadership and intentions of the Political Parties.
Mr. Hooda was addressing a well attended meeting at Lalru in favour of congress candidate and former Minister Sardar Jasjeet Singh Randhawa. Former Union Minister Mr. Venod Sharma, Haryana Industries Minister Mr. Randeep Singh Surjewala and other senior congress leaders also addressed the meeting.
Mr. Hooda also addressed a public meeting at Naya Gaon and Sangrur. Earlier he addressed a public meeting at Narsan of Manglore Assembly segment of Uttrakhand in favour of Congress candidate Mr. Kazi Mohammad Nizamuddin.
Mr. Hooda said that in 2004, only three Sikh MPs were elected from Congress Party but congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi renunciated the post of Prime Minister in favour the son of Punjab and renowned economist Sardar Manmohan Singh. The country needed good economic policies as the country lagged behind in field of economy during NDAs regime. India has now emerged as a leading World power for which Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and NAC Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi deserve credit.
Mr. Hooda said that that he had already campaigned in different areas of Punjab and there was a huge wave in favour of Congress Party. The people of the State were going to vote Congress as they have realized that Punjab which was earlier known as the number one State in the country was now lagging behind because of the wrong policies of the Akali-BJP government. The people of the State want development and they would vote congress to ensure development.
Mr. Hooda said that the people should evaluate the parties on the basis of their policies, programmes, leadership and intentions. He said that the congress party has framed policies for all section of the society and played pivotal role in getting the freedom for the Country. Whereas, the SAD-BJP alliance has no policy or intention of development, they remained busy in developing themselves, he further added.
Mr. Hooda said that the Haryana was on 14th Place in per capita investment before the congress government took over in Haryana, but it is at number one place. The Haryana has per capita investment of Rs. 78,500 but it was merely 15,861 in Punjab, which depicts the difference between the two States. He also referred to the Planning Commission Data, as per which Haryana is leading the Country in development rate with 11.6 percent. Punjab is not even in the first three States, he further added. He described Punjab as the elder brother of Haryana and said that he was pained that the elder brother was getting backward. In 2004-05, the planned budget of Punjab was 3480 crore and the Haryana was 2342 crore, but after seven years, the Haryana planned budget has gone to 20358 crore, whereas the Punjab was at just Rs 11520 crore.
Mr. Hooda wondered that old age pension in Punjab was only Rs. 250, whereas in Haryana, it was as much as Rs. 700 per month. Similarly, residential plots of 100 square yards each had been given to 3.80 lakh families of scheduled castes, backward classes and to all those living below poverty line in the State.