People are angry with Congress CMs: BJP on Hooda-hooting incident

New Delhi: A day after Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was hooted by people in Prime Minister’s presence, BJP today said its government gives due respect to all CMs, including from other parties, but was not responsible for such incidents caused due to public anger.

The ruling party claimed that the situation in Maharashtra and Haryana was such that the Chief Ministers were not ready to face public who were unhappy with them and the Kaithal incident “reflected this anger”.

“Our government respects all Chief Ministers - be it ours or of other parties. When the Prime Minister goes somewhere, the Chief Minister sits next to him and he (PM) accords all due respect to him. But if the people are angry with the CMs, what can the government do about it.

“The situation in Maharashtra and Haryana is such that the Chief Ministers are not ready to face the public. When public asks questions from them, they demand answers. Haryana public seems angry with Hooda and that is not our fault. Hooda should introspect,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

The statement came on a day when Congress in the wake of the Hooda-hooting episode said opposition Chief Ministers should not attend ‘political functions’ of the Prime Minister as it saw a “design” behind such incidents taking place in poll-bound states.

After being booed by a crowd at a public event in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence in Kaithal, Hooda said he would never share the stage with him again.

Hussain said the people of Haryana were angry with Hooda and he should introspect as to why it was so. “It is not good that people should be angry with the CM,” he said.

On the Congress decision, he said if Congress wants it can ask all its Chief Ministers to remain away from public.

“Why fear from the public? People have the right to ask questions. If a commn man comes at a programme, the Chief Minister should not fear from the public,” the BJP leader said.

PTI