Chandigarh: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday said that setting up of one-man Commission to probe the grant of license(s) of some entities, including Robert Vadra's company, for developing commercial colonies in Sector 83 of Gurgaon was a "political vendetta" by the BJP government.
"You have to see the aim behind setting up of this inquiry commission by the BJP government. Why have they singled out Sector 83 of Gurgaon? It's because, here, name of some relative (Vadra) of a VIP (Sonia Gandhi) figures. This is sheer political vendetta," the former two-time chief minister said.
"If they had to set up a Commission, then it should have involved everything (all land deals) including when their government was in place (in power). Why one Sector (in Gurgaon) has been singled out now, this shows the intent of this government to act against a particular person (Vadra) in a selective manner)," Hooda said addressing a press conference here.
He further said, "They are not going to find anything. We had not shown any favour to anyone."
State Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma keeps claiming that previous Congress government in Haryana gave land worth crores of rupees to Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he said.
"I challenge anyone to prove that we extended any favour. We have not given a single inch of land to anyone. Let them (govt) come out with a single instance, where they can prove that the land which belonged to Haryana government had been acquired by our government and handed over to any person..," he said.
The Congress leader said that when any person purchases land from another person, the government's role is to see whether the stamp duty has been duly paid, registry of the property has been made according to the prevalent Circle rate and license fee has been paid or not.
When asked if the Commission of Inquiry had summoned him, Hooda retorted, "why should it summon me?"
The Khattar government appointed retired Judge of Delhi
High Court, Justice S N Dhingra, as one-man Commission of Inquiry to probe issues concerning the grant of license(s) for developing commercial colonies by the Department of Town and Country Planning, Haryana, to some entities in Sector 83 in Gurgaon.
The Commission, which is to submit its report within six months, would also probe subsequent transfer or disposal of the lands, allegations of private enrichment, ineligibility of beneficiaries under the rules, and other connected matters.
BJP had made land deals under the previous Congress regime in Haryana a major poll issue during the last year's election, alleging that land rules were relaxed to favour a few, including Vadra.
Meanwhile, Hooda slammed the Haryana government's decision to hike VAT on diesel recently, saying the state was going to lose out as the fuel was still cheaper in neighbouring Delhi.
Hooda, who hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government for allegedly failing on various fronts, said that those who voted for the BJP in the last year's Assembly elections in the state were now feeling betrayed as the saffron party had made tall promises to them.
With some senior Congress leaders from Haryana deserting the party just before Assembly polls in October last year for greener pastures, Hooda took a veiled dig at them, saying "deep inside they too were repenting their decision".
Senior Congress leaders from the state -- former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, Phool Chand Mullana, R S Kadian, B B Batra, Anand Singh Dangi and B B Batra -- were also present at the conference.
Kuldeep Sharma alleged that the Khattar government is being run through 'remote' control and said "BJP leader (party's in-charge for Haryana affairs) Anil Jain is making policy statements of the government, which means he decides the policies."
"BJP, which claims to have enrolled 11 crore members across the country, should set an example asking all of these members first to give up their LPG subsidy before asking others to give up theirs," he said.
