District Congress leaders staged a sit-in at Subash Ghat near Har ki Pauri here on Friday, protesting against the Centre's alleged apathy towards development of the holy city. They donned black bands on their left sleeves by way of venting protest.
They handed over a six- point memorandum addressed to President and served through the district administration officials. Dinesh Mohan Uniyal, Tehsildar Haridwar, received the memorandum on behalf of the district administration.
However, the show seemed to have failed to draw a huge number of party activists with the party unit being divided in mutually bickering actions.
The ruling party activists focused their attack on the BJP MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in particular.
They said the MP is least bothered to develop the district he is representing in the lok Sabha.
The six points that figure in the memorandum include the Centre's close-fisted approach vis-à-vis the upcoming Ardh Kumbh 2016 slated to begin in January, Haridwar being struck off the list of proposed smart cities and slashing of development funds meant for the development of the district.
During the stir, former MlA Amris Kumar, district Congress president OP Chauhan, state party spokesperson Anshul Srikunj and division president of the party's state women affiliate Vimla Pandey were present.
However, the observers said the stir failed to galvanise the party's rank and file to the expected extent. "This bodes ill for the party bracing up to retain power in the Assembly election slated in 2017. Many chairs lying vacant should ring alarm bells," one of the state watchers said.