Land Scams Under Congress Rule Hinder Congress's Return in Haryana

As Haryana prepares for the 2024 Assembly elections, with voting scheduled for October 5 and counting on October 8, political parties are actively releasing their candidate lists. The BJP, having governed Haryana for a decade, is aiming for a hat-trick of victories. However, the land scams that occurred during the Congress tenure pose a significant obstacle to Congress's potential return to power.

Under the Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, several land scams emerged, highlighting allegations of benefiting powerful individuals while sidelining the interests of the poor and marginalized. Reports from this period reveal numerous irregularities in land acquisition and resource distribution, casting serious doubts on the transparency of the entire process.

Notable Land Scams During Congress Tenure in Haryana:

IMT Manesar Scam

Reliance Industries Scam

Gurgaon Amusement Park Scam

Sale of Wazirabad Land to DLF

Skylight Hospitality Scam

Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust Land Scam

Rohtak Land Scam

Ullahawas Land Scam

Kurukshetra 326 Kanal Land Scam

Panchkula Industrial Plot Allotment Scam

Sale of 23,413 Acres of Land

Drain Scam

Exploitation of Land and Resources:

During Congress's rule, a disturbing pattern emerged in which lands belonging to weaker sections and poor farmers were appropriated for the benefit of influential figures and large corporations. For instance, the IMT Manesar scam involved the dubious acquisition of 912 acres of land, exemplifying how people's properties were seized with a lack of transparency.

Another significant issue was the irregular allocation of residential plots intended for Scheduled Castes. A scam was uncovered in which 129 plots were wrongfully allocated to members of a single family, illustrating the misuse of resources and power, which violated the rights of the marginalized.

Additionally, an illegal occupation of panchayat land was reported in Namraha village, Panipat, further demonstrating the misuse of public properties and the disregard for local communities' rights during Congress's rule.

Reliance Industries and Other Land Scandals:

The Reliance Industries scam involved the sale of 25,000 acres of land in the Jhajjar-Gurgaon area at prices significantly below market value. Other scandals, including the sale of land to DLF in Wazirabad, the amusement park scam, and the Skylight Hospitality scam, further exposed the misuse of land under Congress governance.

Job opportunities during Hooda’s administration also showed a bias, with a "kharchi-parchi" system where jobs were allocated to the highest bidders, predominantly benefiting one favored community. This system created a sense of inequality and frustration among other communities, further compounded by the special rights granted to the favored community, reducing the possibility of legal action and increasing feelings of insecurity among others.