letter bomb: The new hot topic in Uttarakhand politics

letter bomb on Gairsain issue, which was first dropped by former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and later countered by incumbent Chief Minister Harish Rawat, has become a hot issue in Uttarakhand. To extinguish the fire, Assembly speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal has categorically said that former Chief Minister Bahuguna had laid foundation stone of Vidhan Sabha at Gairsain and now, incumbent Chief Minister is just executing the project so expenditure should not be an issue there. He assured that he would try his best to avoid unnecessary expenditure in the name of Vidhan Sabha session at Gairsain. Now State BJP, which seems to be on front foot after expose of a sting operation, has got another chance to corner the Congress-led State Government. Political analysts said that now it will have to be seen how the State Government deals with former CM and opposition amicably.

Two days ago Bahuguna wrote a letter to the chief minister Harish Rawat and Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal stating that he had laid foundation stone of Vidhan Sabha and MlA transit hostel building at Gairsain to pay real tribute to the Statehood activists. Even incumbent government conducted Vidhan Sabha session using makeshift arrangement at Gairsain. By doing this they have ascertained that state is working hard to fulfill the dream of Statehood activists. Again state government is going to conduct Vidhan Sabha Monsoon session, which is going to begin by September 21, using a makeshift arrangement at Gairsain.  For this state will have to spend several crores of rupees so state should not organize a session at Gairsain. Instead of organizing session they should convene a session here in Dehradun. It is also true that once construction of Vidhan Sabha building at Gairsain is completed then state would organize session there and currently state is facing inimical situation so the money saved can be utilised for various tasks.

Replying to Bahuguna’s letter, chief minister Rawat said that legislators are accustomed to comfortable life which is why they don’t want to spend tough life like staying in non star hotel and sitting in temporary structure. He further said that as Bahuguna held his cabinet meeting at Gairsain and later laid foundation stone so it has become routine affair of the state to have one session in Gairsain every year. He also assured that next monsoon session would be held in newly constructed Vidhan Sabha at Gairsain and MlAs will also get accommodation in their hostel. He also reiterated that they have been organizing a session in temporary structure as part of paying tribute to the Statehood activists.

Seeing both former and incumbent targeting each other through letters, speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal disclosed the programme of upcoming monsoon session of Vidhan Sabha on Sunday. Kunjwal said that house would pass supplementary budget, several bills and pledge as well. He also said that with this session house will be able to sort out problems of mountainous areas. Gairsain would be most appropriate place to have a productive session in the interest of the state.

Kunjwal reiterated that Bahuguna had laid foundation stone of Vidhan Sabha and also convened a cabinet meeting at Gairsain. Incumbent chief minister Rawat is executing the work initiated by Bahuguna. In view of Statehood activists' interest one should not talk about the money, he said while also assuring that he would try to put check on expenditure. He also said that if the session is not convened in Gairsain it would be disdainful act against the Statehood activists by the State Government. Instead of spending time on absurd talk one should think on how to make upcoming session more fruitful in public interest, said Kunjwal, while adding that next monsoon session of year 2016 would be convened in newly constructed Vidhan Sabha.