Hooda sends defamation notice to minister Grover over Jat stir blame
ROHTAK : Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has sent a defamation notice to Haryana minister of state for cooperatives Manish Grover for accusing him of orchestrating the February 2016 Jat quota violence that killed at least 30 people.
Grover had recently accused Hooda of resorting to violence in frustration of losing the 2014 assembly elections. Grover alleged that during the Jat quota violence, properties of a specific group were targeted. He specified that signboards bearing his name were damaged while those of the former CM and his close aides were left untouched.
Reacting to Grover’s statements, Hooda said he has served him a defamation notice and will seek ₹50 crore damages from him if the minister did not issue a public apology.
“Grover and other BJP leaders have been making baseless allegations to tarnish my image. The government-appointed Prakash Singh Committee report blamed its own leaders for violence. It did not name me or my family,” said Hooda. On being asked about Grover attacking him because of his former political advisor Virender’s viral audio clip that allegedly instigated violence, Hooda said, “How does that concern me? Even Grover’s personal security officer was arrested for theft. Does that mean Grover is also a thief?” Hooda asked.
He said he wants a public apology at the earliest or he will prosecute Grover. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party had recently intensified attack on Hooda and called him the mastermind of the violence while campaigning for the mayoral polls.
The campaign seemed to have worked as the BJP swept all five mayoral elections in the state, including that of Rohtak which is considered the stronghold of the former CM. The sources in the Congress said that the recent loss in the mayoral polls prompted the former CM to take action against the BJP leaders.
PROMISES TO WAIVE FARM LOANS IF VOTED TO POWER
Hooda also said that if voted to power in Haryana, the Congress would waive farm loans including those by the nationalised banks and reduce the electricity tariff by half.
Speaking to media persons, Hooda promised that old age pension would also be increased to ₹3,000 per month if the party forms the government in the state in 2019.
Grover and other BJP leaders have been making baseless allegations to tarnish my image. The govt-appointed Prakash Singh Committee report blamed its own leaders for violence. It did not name me or my family BHUPINDER SINGH HOODA, former chief minister