Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda breaks silence; says 'unaware woman MLA was pulling tractor'

Amid politicisation of ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda's 'tractor video', Hooda on Friday claimed that he was unaware that a woman Congress MLA was pulling his tractor.  Stating that the woman MLA was accustomed to driving a motorbike, he said that she was pulling his tractor on her own. Reacting to NCW's condemnation, he added that if he had asked those women why they were pulling his tractor, they would respond, 'we are no less than men'. The NCW has taken cognizance of a video where Congress' women MLAs were seen pulling a tractor ridden by ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda.

Hooda: Woman MLA pulled tractor on her own

He said, "I was not aware that a female MLA was pulling my tractor. If that had been brought to my notice, I could have asked her to not pull tractor or avoid the situation. She used to drive a motorbike, it was her own wish to pull the tractor." Retorting to NCW urging the woman to come forward with a complaint, he said, "We will see if the complaint comes by anyone. If I would have ask them, they will say we are no less than men."

Chowdhury: 'Not less than men'

Earlier in the day,  former Union Women & Child Welfare minister Renuka Chowdhury alleged that the BJP was raking such issues to 'divert into cheap things instead of talking about fuel hike'. Chowdhury added that women were no less than men, asking why were female BJP MLAs not raising their voices over price rise and Disha Ravi's arrest. Her colleague and Haryana Congress chief Selja Kumari added, "Women are not safe in their governing state. They should speak on big issues, like high rates of fuel etc". 

Meanwhile, Hooda's son and Congress MP Deepender Hooda asked, "Why did the CM not cry when farmers were protesting? Those were crocodile tears and it was a failed attempt to make an issue."  NCW chief Rekha Sharma said that the act 'lowered dignity of women', adding even if the women were not forced, Hooda must have thought about it. She urged any women MLAs who were forced to take part of the event to complain to the National Commission for Women (NCW).

Haryana CM breaks down in Assembly

Reacting to visuals of women MLAs allegedly pulling a tractor driven by ex-CM Bhupinder Hooda on Women's Day, CM Manohar Lal Khattar broke down in the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday, lamenting at the insult to women. He said it pained him when he saw his predecessor riding a tractor during a protest against fuel price hike on Monday and women legislators of the party pulling it with ropes. Khattar said that on one hand the world was celebrating International Women's Day and on the other Bhupinder Singh Hooda sat in the driver's seat while Congress' women MLAs were pulling the tractor. Similarly, Union Woman and Child welfare minister Smriti Irani slammed Hooda for 'insulting his party's women MLAs and workers', calling it "Bandhua Mazdoor".  The BJP government recently survived a trust vote called by Congress.