In a bid to counter the allegation hurled by the Opposition that the State Government has failed to maintain law and order with the mining mafias being promoted, the Chief Minister Harish Rawat has presented data showing that the State’s law and order situation has improved since Congress assumed power in the State.
For instance, 25 dacoities were reported in 2009 while it came down to 17 in 2014. As many 119 looting cases were reported in 2009 while the figure was 100 in 2014. 332 theft cases were reported in 2009 while it was 303 in 2014. In a participatory democracy, the Opposition are entitled to criticize the State Government. But the criticism should have some substance. Criticism for the sake of criticism amounts to an affront against the canons of democracy, the CM said.
As regards the BJP charge that the Chief Minister is meting out a step- motherly treatment to the BJP MlAs’ constituencies, Rawat said the reverse is true. For instance, my government has sanctioned 50 projects in Ranikhet, the constituency represented by the leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt. Besides, we announced 44 projects for Chaubattakhal, represented by the State BJP president Tirath Singh Rawat. Twelve projects were announced for Didihaat, which is being represented by the State BJP ex-president Bisan Singh Chufal.
Besides, if you analyse the distribution data of the Chief Minister’s discretionary fund you would know that during the BJP regime (2007-12), a mere seven percent of the funds was allocated on the recommendation of parties other than BJP while in 2012-14, we have distributed 18 percent of total allocation on the recommendations of non- Congress parties and 32 percent allotted for the areas under the ruling party and the left-out 50 percent allocated on the recommendation of individuals. CM appealed to the Saffron brigade to compare figures before blurting out fabricated charges.
As far as law and order situation is concerned we must recall what happened at Kaladhungi in 2009. A police station was torched and made the area out of bounds for the people. In 2011, communal violence took place and stampede occurred in Haridwar during Kumbh-2010 and Shantikunj, Haridwar in 2011. Since Congress took up the reins police have cracked all the crimes. Can BJP claim that their regime can boast of such a featIJ For instance, in 2007, an old couple Kamla Devi and Ratan lal was murdered in Mussoorie. Ratnakar Muni of Udasin Akhada was murdered in 2008 and kidnapping cum murder took place in Ramnagar. Vishal, son of a jweller, was kidnapped and murdered in Haldwani in 2010. This aside, two un-indentified persons were murdered. A girl student of KPS College Kashipur was murdered in 2010 and Kuldeep Singh was murdered in Kashipur and seven other people were murdered. All these cases remained un-cracked when the BJP was saddled in power.
During the Congress regime, two cases, including Ferupur rape cum murder case remaining unsolved, we referred them to CBI. Besides, the Roorkee bomb blast case is being investigated by NIA. In a nut shell, we managed to crack most of the cases. Although Amit Malik Bhura, who escaped from police custody, is still fugitive we put behind bars all his accomplices. Bhura would be arrested too in due course.
In the same breath, the CM said he is not flaunting these figures to defend police. I am myself accountable for all the crimes committed in my State being the head of the government. To check crime and improve law and order, we have opened cyber cell, police stations and GRP stations as well. As far as illegal mining is concerned we are dredging our rivers. Removing mining materials is an imperative to keep flood away. We know that Ghansali was ravaged because the mountain streams overflew with debris. I remind you of the people of Paonta Saheb, Himachal Pradesh and Saharnpur UP as far as riverbed mining is concerned.
Asking the BJP to come out on corruption with concrete figures, the CM said the Saffron leaders should make public their property details and exchange them with him. “I am ready,” Rawat said.