A day after State Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that creating the perception of State Capital to be established at Gairsain was a white lie, the former BJP State president Teerath Singh Rawat said that he would ask the State Government to declare Gairsain as the permanent Capital of Uttarakhand.
With this statement the two national parties seem to be sailing in the same boat in Uttarakhand. Some have questioned whether this is an example of a Cabinet Minister opposing the Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The statement has created flutter in Uttarakhand politics and forced Congress on the backfoot and given enough fuel to the BJP to lambast the Congress led Uttarakhand Government.
Harak Singh Rawat had said that by organising two Assembly sessions in Gairsain State Government has played with the sentiments of people. He stressed that if anyone says that Gairsain would be temporary or permanent capital of Uttarakhand then it would be a sheer white lie because all establishments have been created in Dehradun and creating another establishment in Gairsain would be not easy for the state which has limited sources of revenue.
He stressed that development can be brought about without declaring Gairsain as capital of Uttarakhand. Main demand of the people of Gairsain is that developmentbe facilitated in the region, which can happen if the State is dedicated to do achieving this.
It would be pertinent to mention here that during the recently concluded Vidhan Sabha session in Gairsain, BJP had demanded in the house from the treasury bench to disclose their intention for Gairsain as to whether they would declare Gairsain as capital of Uttarakhand or not. Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, who quite often talks about Gairsain, did not allow house to have debate on the issue. This resulted in both opposition and treasury bench members storming the well of the house. later plain clothes police personnel, who were addressed to as reserve marshal by the speaker, manhandled members of the opposition on the well of the house. Amidst chaotic situation speaker had adjourned the house sine die on November 3. With that incident opposition had questioned the point in organising special assembly session in Gairsain if debate was not being allowed on the issue of Gairsain in the house. It will be recalled that during the special session in Gairsain, the house only passed its business and nothing for the local people. Despite all this chief minister Harish Rawat did not open his cards on Gairsain but had expressed regret over the incident.
Now Teerath Singh Rawat demands the government should declare Gairsain as Capital. It is pertinent to mention here that earlier, senior cabinet minister Indira Hridayesh has already rejected the proposal for establishing the State capital in Gairsain and now her cabinet colleague has also spoken against the idea of Gairsain being the permanent State capital.