Chandigarh, Oct 3 (PTI) Launching a counter-offensive after the BJP alleged that the Congress, during its rule in Haryana, gave land of farmers at peanuts to their 'damad', Bhupinder Singh Hooda Thursday said if the saffron party showed proof that even a single inch of government land was given to Robert Vadra, then he would quit politics.

They say land was given to Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi.

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"I challenge them to give details of the land," Hooda, whose party is eyeing to return to power in Haryana after a decade long hiatus, told reporters in Karnal.

The former chief minister alleged the BJP is spreading false propaganda about Robert Vadra that he was given land.

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"I challenge that the Congress did not give even an inch of government land to Robert Vadra. If the BJP shows proof of giving land to Vadra, I will leave politics," he said.

The BJP rode to power in Haryana for the first time on its own in 2014.

The party had then made alleged irregularities in land deals during the previous Hooda regime a major poll issue.

Even in the 2024 Assembly polls, BJP leaders during campaigning, targeted the Congress over this.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning in Haryana recently, said, "Under the Congress rule, 'dalalon' (middlemen) and 'damad' used to call the shots".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also targeted the then Hooda regime, saying, "Dealers, 'dalals' (middlemen) and 'damads' (son-in-law) used to rule during the Hooda government's time and corruption was rampant,".

In a poll rally in Gurugram's Badshahpur, Shah had alleged, "Several acres of land in Gurugram was destroyed to make 'Delhi's damad' wealthy. The Congress party gave land of farmers at peanuts to their 'damad'.

"And today they are talking about farmers," Shah had said.

Hooda also said, "The BJP does not have any issue, so they accuse me of nepotism.

"My grandfather was a freedom fighter. I am proud that my father late Ranbir Singh has signed the Constitution along with Baba Saheb (B R Ambedkar). We have reached here today after a long struggle," he said.

Hooda hit out at the BJP government, alleging it has a dubious record of 78 persons being killed in the state "as it ran a government of lathis and bullets".

Speaking to reporters in Karnal on the last day of election campaigning, Hooda launched a full-frontal attack on the BJP and said that the BJP has run a government of lathis and bullet in the state for 10 years.

"During this anti-people government, a record 78 people were killed by police bullets," he alleged.

"During the Dera episode (in 2017) in Panchkula (violence which broke out after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted for raping two disciples), 40 people died.

"It was told that perhaps 30 of the deceased were Dalits. The BJP had allowed a crowd of people to gather in Panchkula against the orders of the court. The High Court itself raised questions on the death of 40 people in police firing, but the BJP could not answer anyone," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)