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Raising strong objections to the Centre’s decision to project Gujarat as the host state for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the proposed 2036 Olympics, Hooda demanded that Haryana be made at least a host or co-host state. He also sought the immediate removal of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) chairman and his replacement with a “capable person from among Haryana’s three crore residents.”
Chandigarh: Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda on Tuesday accused the Central government of systematically undermining Haryana’s interests while the BJP-led state government remained “mute spectators.” Addressing a packed press conference here, Hooda said he and his colleagues would no longer remain silent if Haryana continued to be ignored, asserting that the fight for the state’s rights would be taken “from Parliament to the streets.”
Raising strong objections to the Centre’s decision to project Gujarat as the host state for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the proposed 2036 Olympics, Hooda demanded that Haryana be made at least a host or co-host state. He also sought the immediate removal of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) chairman and his replacement with a “capable person from among Haryana’s three crore residents.” Two dozen Congress MLAs and four MPs, including Varun Mulana, Jai Prakash, and Satpal Brahmachari, were present at the press conference.
Sports hub ignored despite medal dominance.
Hooda said Haryana, which contributes nearly 50% of India’s medals in the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympics, had been unfairly sidelined. “In the last four Olympics, more than half of India’s medals came from Haryana athletes, and nearly 25% of the athletes represented the state. Yet, when hosting rights came, Haryana was ignored,” he said.
He argued that hosting the Games in Haryana would have meant massive investments in sports infrastructure across the state. Lakhs of crores will now be spent in Ahmedabad. If even part of this investment had come to Haryana, our athletes would have benefited immensely,” Hooda said, adding that Haryana received just ₹80 crore from the ₹3,500-crore Khelo India budget, while Gujarat received ₹600 crore.
Financial discrimination and MNREGA concerns
Accusing the Centre of financial discrimination, Hooda said Haryana had the highest GST and toll collections but received the lowest budgetary allocations. “The Centre collects 7.10% GST from Haryana but gives back only about 1%—the lowest in the country,” he said.
He also flagged concerns over MNREGA, claiming that despite over eight lakh registered workers in Haryana, only 2,191 families received 100 days of work in 2024-25. He alleged that recent changes had put the very existence of MNREGA at risk and vowed to mobilise workers on the ground.
HPSC selections under scanner
Targeting the Haryana Public Service Commission, Hooda alleged that Group A and B jobs were increasingly going to candidates from outside the state. “Even the HPSC chairman is from outside Haryana. Is there no capable person among three crore Haryanvis?” he asked.
Citing examples, he said that in recent recruitments—ranging from assistant engineers to civil judges and lecturers—the majority of selected candidates were from outside Haryana. He alleged that reservation categories were also being denied their rightful benefits through selective and incomplete recruitment processes.
Water, capital and stalled projects
Hooda further raised issues related to Haryana’s water rights, pointing out that despite a Supreme Court verdict in favour of the SYL canal, no progress had been made. He also criticised the Centre for delays related to Haryana’s capital facilities in Chandigarh and alleged neglect of significant infrastructure projects initiated during the earlier Congress सरकार.
“The state government is busy in politics elsewhere, but when it comes to Haryana’s interests, it remains silent,” Hooda said, reiterating that the Congress would intensify its agitation to safeguard the rights of Haryana and its people.
