Hear Hooda, insist Haryana cops

NEW DELHI - The turnout was dismal at the Congress rally in Haryana Monday, so low that Haryana police had to intervene to ensure that the crowd stayed put during Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s address.

After all the Congress leaders had addressed the meeting in Faridabad, it was finally Hooda’s turn. But people had gathered to hear Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who couldn’t make it because of the sudden rain, and started getting restive.

Seeing the crowd dispersing, alert Haryana cops swung into action and didn’t let them leave. Finally, the crowd was allowed to go only after Hooda had addressed the election rally.