Advocating an alternative route for the holy Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, on Saturday hailed the Narendra Modi Government for taking appropriate decisions in the matter. He dismissed the objection of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat for the alternative route to the Kailash Mansrovar saying it was “absurd, uncalled for and illogical”.
Addressing a news conference here, Dhumal said in view of the long hazardous distance, tough terrain and perpetual threat of the terrorists, there was need for an alternative route for centuries old pilgrimage of Hindus to the Kailash Mansarovar. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the right initiative which the entire country would welcome,” he said.
Dhumal had been suggesting to government of India for a long time for the alternative route to the Kailash Mansarovar from Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh which was much safer and shorter compared to present insecure dangerous route via Uttarakhand. He congratulated the Prime Minister for heeding to the requests of Himachal Pradesh in the interests of the devotees.
He lamented that Rawat was looking at the alternative route from very selfish and narrow angle while the Prime Minister had a far broader view of mitigating the pangs of the devotees who encounter numerous hardship while passing through the existing route. The new route would be economical, safer and comfortable, he added.
Dhumal agreed to some extent with the apprehension of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister that the alternative route may slightly hit the economy of his State, but added that it was in larger interest of thousands of devotees from across the country who set out for the pilgrimage of Kailash Mansarovar every year. He advised Rawat not to oppose the opening of the alternative route, which would be of paramount benefit for the devotee. The sacred seats of Gods and Goddess are linked with a cluster of routes and there was nothing wrong in that, he said. Targeting the Congress Government in the State, the BJP leader said the development works in Himachal Pradesh had come to a virtual halt every since Congress came to power in the State and the hill State is gripped in political uncertainty.