Neither retired nor tired: Hooda declares 'aar-paar ki ladai' to oust BJP from Haryana

Chandigarh: Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday said he is neither retired nor tired as he sought people's permission and support for a do-or-die battle — 'aar-paar ki ladai' — to oust the BJP from power in Haryana.

The former chief minister alleged that Haryana has fallen behind on the developmental front in the past nine years under the BJP-led dispensation.

The assembly polls in the state are due later this year.

Addressing the party's 'Jan Aakrosh Rally' in Baroda in Sonipat district, Hooda said, "I have come to seek 'ijazat' (permission) from you. 'Ijazat' for what? Someone referred to me as 76 years old, but I am neither retired nor tired. I want to fight one 'aar-paar ki ladai' with them. I have come to seek your 'ijazat' and support."

"In te panga le lu, ladai lad lu, saath doge," Hooda said in Haryanvi, seeking the people's support for his battle to oust the BJP from power in the state.

He said when his Congress party was in power, the state was a front-runner in per capita income, per capita investment, in giving employment, and on law and order front. The situation was pretty good and Haryana moved ahead on the path of progress, he said.

"But where are we today? We are number one in unemployment, inflation, crime," Hooda claimed. "Today, the condition of farmers is poor," he added.

He promised that when the Congress forms the government in the state, it will protect women from the burden of inflation by giving cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 a price.

He also promised that the party would save the youth from unemployment by filling up two lakh vacant posts.

Similarly, the scheme of providing 100 square yard plots and houses to the poor will be restarted, he stated.

The Congress is also committed to provide benefit of the old pension scheme to retired government employees.

Hooda claimed a wind of change is blowing in Haryana and the Congress will come back to power.

Addressing the rally, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan said the BJP-led government has 'fooled the people through empty rhetoric'.

In his address, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said the eyes of the entire country will be on Haryana in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

"The whole country will see whether Haryana will stand with farmers or those who did injustice to farmers, whether Haryana will stand with women sportspersons or those who did injustice to them," he said.