The party, which had played a key role in the Statehood movement — Uttarakhand Kranti Dal — has questioned the elaborate celebrations of State Foundation Day, stating that the main issues which had fuelled the Statehood movement have remained unresolved.
Addressing the media at the party office here on Sunday, UKD chief Diwakar Bhatt said migration was the main problem which had fuelled the demand for the separate State of Uttarakhand. “However, 17 years after creation of the State, the problem of migration has remained unresolved. The successive State Governments of the national parties - Congress and BJP have failed to redress the burning issues like migration which is continuing unabated,” he said.
The State Government had recently stated that about 3,000 schools would be shut down in the State, which shows how alarming extent of migration from the rural mountainous regions is. This year is also the first time in the State’s history when farmers committed suicide. Despite this, the State Government has refused to loan waiver for farmers and is not even providing them relief, he added.
The Chief Minister should provide relief and not talk like a dictator stating that the farmers will not be provided loan waiver, said Bhatt.
He further charged that both the BJP and Congress had been more engrossed in misusing power due to which their State Governments failed to draft policies in line with the vision which had inspired the statehood movement.
He questioned the reason for celebration when migration was continuing, people were suffering due to faulty Government policies, assets of the State had been “snatched” and the women who had played a role in the Statehood movement were facing cases for protesting against the liquor mafia.
He said the Government should declare Gairsain, a permanent State capital apart from which the BJP should also fulfil its manifesto promise of prohibiting liquor in the State.
The issue of asset division with Uttar Pradesh should also be resolved without delay, he stressed. UKD leaders Kashi Singh Airy, Trivendra Singh Panwar and others were also present on the occasion.