New Delhi: Haryana is preparing for its 2024 Assembly polls, with voting set for 5th October and results to be announced on 8th October. Almost all participating political parties have released their candidates' lists for the upcoming contest. The BJP, in power for the last decade, is seeking a third term. Meanwhile, Congress, aiming to return to power, faces scrutiny over the legacy of scandals and land scams during its tenure.
During the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government, several land scams emerged, with allegations of favouring the powerful while neglecting the poor. Irregularities in land acquisition and fair distribution of resources raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
Allegation of series of land scams and scandals
Some of the major scandals witnessed during Congress rule include the IMT Manesar scam, the Reliance Industry scam, the sale of Wazirabad land to DLF, and the Gurugron Amusement Park scam. Other key scams include the Rohtak Land scam, the Ullahwas Land scam, the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust Land scam, the Kurukshetra 326 Canal Land scam and the Panchkula Industrial Plot Allocation scam.
Pattern of land acquisition and misuse of power
A common pattern during Congress' rule was the acquisition of land from poor farmers to benefit influential individuals and corporations. For example, the IMT Manesar scam saw 912 acres acquired under dubious circumstances.
One case highlighted was the illegal occupation of Panchayat land in Namarha village, Panipat, where public land was misused. Another scam involved the wrongful allocation of residential plots for Scheduled Castes, where 129 plots were fraudulently given to members of the same family.
Under Hooda's tenure, job opportunities indicated an alleged bias toward one community, using a "Kharchi-Parchi" system where the highest bidders secured jobs, excluding others, and denying equal employment opportunities.
Land scams in and around Gurugram region
Another major scam involved the Reliance Industry, where 25,000 acres of land in the Jhajjar-Gurugram region were sold well below market value. Additionally, the sale of land to DLF in Wazirabad and other scams such as the Skylight Hospitality and amusement park scams highlighted further land misuse during Congress's rule.
Portraying the misdeeds of past Hooda-led Congress government in the state, the BJP is using these issues as part of its campaign, accusing the grand old party of exploiting farmers and favouring its own party members and certain interested groups. “Bhupendra Hooda had only filled his pockets by forcibly occupying the lands of farmers and gifting them to his relatives, favourites and selected builders. The people of Haryana will never forget this terrifying period of Hooda,” posted BJP Haryana on X.
As the assembly elections approach and campaigning heats up, these scandals will continue to influence the political landscape, with BJP aiming to secure another term while Congress faces a challenging path to restore and gain public trust.
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