Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Wednesday, 22 July sharply criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of turning Haryana into a hub for paper leaks and condemning the use of force against Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during student protests. Speaking at his residence in Chandigarh, Hooda said the government was suppressing legitimate voices instead of addressing systemic failures in the examination process.

Hooda's Core Charges Against the BJP

Responding to media queries, Hooda stated that the Congress has been raising the paper leak issue in Haryana for nearly 12 years as a responsible Opposition. He alleged that while the government has periodically ordered investigations, neither inquiry reports were made public nor were culprits held accountable. 'In essence, whether in Haryana or at the Centre, the government is shielding those responsible for paper leaks. Consequently, it is crucial to fix government accountability,' he said.

Attack on Centre Over Education Minister

Hooda also trained his guns on the Union government, echoing the Opposition's demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He said the Centre remained 'adamant' in the face of nationwide calls for accountability. He added that instead of responding to student and Opposition demands — which he described as 'entirely legitimate' — the government was attempting to silence dissent. The use of lathi charges against agitating students, he said, was 'condemnable'.

On Farmers and the US Agricultural Deal

Shifting to agrarian concerns, Hooda said no agricultural product deal with the United States could be in India's interest. He, however, said he would offer a detailed response only after the full terms and provisions of the deal were made public. In the interim, he demanded that the government fulfil existing promises to farmers and provide a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

BJP Protests at Congress HQ: 'Pure Political Theatrics'

Hooda dismissed the BJP's protests at the Congress headquarters as a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the paper leak controversy. He argued that the BJP, rather than answering for examination irregularities, was staging political theatre against the Opposition. He said the Congress would continue raising these issues — from the streets to the legislative Assembly — both in Haryana and across the country.

With student agitations intensifying and the Opposition sharpening its attack on examination governance, the paper leak debate is set to remain a flashpoint in Haryana's political landscape in the weeks ahead.