The powers-that-be, including the political parties, currently seem to be in a self-promotional mode, hardly focused on issues involving the larger public interests in the Himalayan State.The Governor of Uttarakhand has already moved the Supreme Court over the issue of his continuation in office.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat on whom the people of the State keep pinning great hope, has succeeded in fortifying his political position by way of weakening his adversaries and having his sway over major Government and party matters since he became the head of the State Government. Yet, most of the policies he has announced with much fanfare have remained on papers, to the despair of the common people who thought he would herald big changes on the ground.
Among the popular programmes the CM announced after assuming office early this year are the one related to recruitment of teachers in basic education sector.This assurance spawned hope among thousands of the trained but unemployed teachers or B Ed degree holders.Moreover, the State Government also raised maximum age limit bar in state services from 40 years to 42 years, seemingly with an aim to accommodating maximum number of youths in the state services. But things have remained stuck at that point without any development on the question of opening of vacancies in the basic education sector.Frustrated with things vegetating for long, the trained but unemployed teachers have already taken to the streets. Some of them have also moved court on the issue of recruitment of teachers in basic education sector. However, despite this, things remain mired in murkiness.
The self-centric approach of these 'influential' people is not restricted here. Interestingly, when the CM went for the announcement of banning foreign trips of ministers and other Government officials by way of encouraging austerity in public life one of his ministers who was about to repair on a foreign tour with his entourage, reportedly took exception to the CM taking on the prevailing culture of the government meekly acquiescing extravagance in public life.
The two main political parties i.e. Congress and the BJP seem hell-bent on outmaneuvering each other in gaining brownie points through blame game. They are least bothered in addressing the long- pending grievances of the people of the hill state like rehabilitation of people living in disaster hit areas. The people are thus at the receiving end of the politicians across the spectrum making hay while squeezing the ‘gullible’.