Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay said that a Congress delegation had sought time to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise public interest issues of Uttarakhand during his visit to Rishikesh. However, the Congress delegation was not given an appointment though BJP leaders and cadre were given this opportunity.
Upadhyay alleged, “Just as the BJP had treated issues like section 370, common civil code and black money, the prime minister also treated the people of Uttarakhand with apathy during his visit which we strongly condemn.” The PCC chief said that he along with Congress members are now waiting to meet the prime minister in Delhi to raise pertinent State issues. He further said that the PM had shown apathy towards the various demonstrations held by the Congress to elicit focus of the Central Government towards the issues and problems being faced in Uttarakhand. The PCC chief averred that the Congress will continue to raise issues including the cut in resources allocated to Uttarakhand in the general budget, demand for reservation in Central Government services for Uttarakhand residents, Rs 15,000 crore for the damage wreaked by the 2013 disaster, Rs 1,000 crore to compensate for damage to crops by heavy rain, demand for approval to State Government’s proposal for cleaning the Ganga river, green bonus for the State, a package of Rs 1,000 crore for the Ardh Kumbh to be held here next year, special industrial package, revival of Central enterprises in Uttarakhand and the need for increasing number of lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats among other issues.