Rohtak, Nov 16 (IANS): Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday extended support to agitating medical students and assured them he would raise this issue in the Assembly.

He said the government's decision on fee hike is wrong as because poor and middle class families will not be able to provide medical education to their children due to 20 times hike and imposition of the bond policy.

Hooda, who met medical students protesting for their demands, said this was the reason why students seeking admission in Haryana are forced to migrate to other states.

He said he had established five medical colleges in the state during the Congress government.

"Medical institutions like Cancer Institute and AIIMS came to Haryana only during the Congress government. Despite this, my government never took such a decision. Medical education was given to the students for a nominal fee, because the Congress government did not consider education as a business, but a responsibility. But the BJP-JJP government is commercialising education," he said.

Earlier, Hooda also reached to participate in the program of Bar Association here. He said he is a member of this Bar and will remain so for life. "I have always been connected and have enjoyed the blessings and cooperation of the legal fraternity," he said.

Talking to the media, Hooda termed the present government as anti-farmer.

The Leader of the Opposition termed the decision to stop buying paddy as wrong. He said the government is running away from the responsibility of giving minimum support price (MSP) to the farmers.

"With the government stopping procurement, the rate of paddy in the market will further fall, which will directly harm the farmers," he added.