Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda on Tuesday, 11 August announced that the Indian National Congress will hold a major demonstration in Panchkula on 19 August, demanding the regularisation of Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) employees and raising several other governance concerns. The protest will draw senior party leaders, the Haryana Congress in-charge, the state party president, all MPs, MLAs, office-bearers and party workers.

Key Demands Behind the Protest

At the centre of the demonstration is the long-pending demand to regularise workers employed through the HKRN, Haryana's skill employment corporation. Hooda insisted that all contractual employees under the Kaushal Nigam be made permanent and that future recruitments be offered on a regular rather than contractual basis.

He highlighted a stark pay disparity: HKRN workers earn a monthly salary of just ₹15,000–₹20,000, while permanent employees doing identical work receive at least ₹60,000. Congress has demanded full pay parity along with healthcare benefits, leave entitlements, travel allowances and reservation rights comparable to those of regular government staff.

BJP's Unfulfilled Election Promise, Congress Alleges

Hooda alleged that during the Haryana Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had publicly promised to regularise approximately 1,25,000 Kaushal workers in order to secure their votes. However, nearly two years on, no legislation or official notification has been issued to that effect, according to Hooda.

'During the Assembly elections, the BJP had announced the regularisation of 1,25,000 Kaushal workers to garner their votes. However, even after nearly two years, these contractual employees have not received any law or official notification regarding their regularisation,' Hooda said. He added that workers continue to live under the constant threat of dismissal, with the government reportedly letting go of HKRN employees on various pretexts.

He also countered what he described as BJP misinformation during the election campaign — that a Congress government would remove HKRN workers from their posts. 'In reality, both then and now, the Congress has demanded that HKRN daily-wage workers be made regular government employees,' Hooda said.

Anti-Corruption Committee and Assembly Strategy

Separately, Hooda announced that the Congress has decided to form a committee to study and publicly expose alleged scams involving the Haryana government. Senior party leader Ashok Arora — who has also been entrusted with coordinating the 19 August protest — will chair this committee. MLA Raghubir Kadian will serve as a special invitee, and the two senior MLAs will have the authority to determine additional members.

In the upcoming Assembly session, the Congress plans to move an adjournment motion to raise the scam issue on the floor of the House. A Calling Attention Motion will also be submitted to press the government on the deterioration of law and order, the rise of organised crime, and hikes in property tax and collector rates.

Guest Teachers and Court Order

Hooda also raised the issue of guest teachers, noting that a court has ruled in their favour. He called on the Haryana government to immediately regularise their services and extend them the benefits available to permanent employees. 'Instead of doing so, the government is ignoring the court's verdict,' he said.

With the 19 August rally fast approaching, the Congress is positioning the protest as a broad accountability exercise — combining the HKRN regularisation demand with a wider challenge to the BJP-led state government on governance, employment and rule of law.