A large number of farmers from Uttarakhand are expected to participate in a rally to be organised by the Congress in New Delhi on September 20. The rally is being organised at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi to raise various issues facing farmers across the nation, said Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay.
Addressing the media at the Congress Bhawan hereon Thursday, the PCC chief said, “Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi led strong opposition to the Centre’s land acquisition bill that would have proved detrimental to farmers. They led the opposition which forced the Centre to go on the back foot on this issue. In order to raise this and various other issues facing farmers, the party is organizing a rally in New Delhi. A large number of farmers from Uttarakhand will be participating in this rally with cabinet minister Yashpal Arya being made coordinator for ensuring this in the Kumaon region and cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat being made the coordinator for Haridwar in Garhwal region.”
Regarding the VAT increase on petrol implemented by the State, Upadhyay said, “The State Government had initially increased VAT on both petrol and diesel but we requested that the increase be withdrawn from diesel as that would negatively affect the common man more. We met and thanked the CM for withdrawing the VAT hike on diesel,” he said.
Addressing the media, Congress State co-in charge Sanjay Kapoor accused the BJP led Central Government of being apathetic to the welfare of farmers. He said that the Centre had also remained apathetic to the requirements of Uttarakhand.
The Centre had neither met the demand for providing a special industrial package to the State nor had it provided any financial assistance for the Ardh Kumbh to be held in Uttarakhand next year, he added. Chief minister’s adviser Ranjit Rawat said that when the UPA was in power at Centre the Akali Dal-BJP government of Punjab had approached the Supreme Court seeking discontinuation of the special industrial package to Uttarakhand. He said that now that the BJP is in power at the Centre, it should provide a special industrial package to Uttarakhand.