Rawat plays minority card, gears up Congress workers for 2017 Assembly elections.

Thrilled to see the participation of people from Dalit community and other backward castes in his Booth Karyakarta Sammelan held in a banquet hall of Bahadrabad on Tuesday, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat offered array of sops for the minorities.  He lauded the efforts of the local Congress party workers at Panchayat level and gave tips to pave way to winning the forthcoming Assembly polls. A day before he had come to participate in three congregations of different communities like Kshatriyas and other backward classes. Sounding the election bugle, Rawat has frequented his visits to the holy city recently making twice a week on an average.

The chief minister also announced some developments for the rural areas in the form of construction of roads. He said the road from Pukazi to Kankhal in Haridwar shall be included as part of National Highway. Road from Balawali to Kankhal and from Roshanabad to Biharigarh shall be constructed to link the rural areas with the main areas of the city.

Playing the minority card, the chief minister Harish Rawat said that his priority was to bring all communities together and to mobilize the same he would construct ghats on the banks of ganga in the names of Vishwakarma, Ambedkar, Bhagirath, Rehdas. “Issues like Gyan Godri gurudwara and Ravi Dass Mandir at Har Ki Pauri would be given utmost importance.” He further said that Congress was the first party in the country which had assured the Dalits, freedom fighters and other backward classes to get their rightful possession of (Zameen patta) land lots.

1.5 lakh individuals from other backward castes including Van Gurjars, displaced people from natural disasters and 1.22 lakhs of Dalits shall be given their right to own property, said the Congress leader committing that  the party will work in that direction. He also said that special scholarship for Muslim girls was in the offing by the government for those who wished to take up higher education.

Extolling his party workers to work on membership drive he gave the target of making 5 new members to each party worker. He said, “bada neta vo nahi jo lamba bhashan de balki vo jiski jeb mein party ki receipt book ho (The big leader is not who gives long discourse but that who has party receipt book in his pocket). He asked the party workers to raise hands who were carrying the membership receipt books. He also said that in his eyes a good party worker was that who could fold carpet as well as hoist the flag hinting towards doing all sorts of menial jobs for the party.

He appealed the workers to work on building ‘Mini India’ uniting all castes in their party as a key step towards winning elections. Rawat said that conspiracy was hacked by some people who were trying to bring communalism so one must be cautious of such ‘Ravanas’  and avoid the kidnap of ‘Sita’ (power).

He gave every party member to make atleast 5 new members in the party. Rawat also claimed that he had met 70% of the people during his frequent visits to the district. “I am committed to the people and listen to their problems,” said Rawat.

State party president Kishore Upadhyay, women wing president Santosh Chauhan, Monika Jain, rural district president Telu Ram and other party members were present in the congregation.