Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who abstained from visiting disaster-hit areas saying that VIP visits hinder rescue and relief work, may visit Uttarakhand during the first week of August. During his visit to the State, he would meet party workers here.
Some senior Samajwadi leaders may also accompany the SP Chief during his visit to the State. The State unit has started preparation on its part for the likely visit of the SP chief. According to the party insiders, the likely visit will be a completely non-political affair. Political analysts, however, read politics in the move.
Uttarakhand SP unit Chief Dr Satyanarayan Sachan refused to comment on the matter. "We don't do politics over each matter. SP has some principles. If he comes, he would meet the party workers," Sachan said, adding that during recent dialogue with the SP supremo, he discussed various things related to relief and rescue operations in disaster hit areas.
Referring to Yadav, Dr Sachan said that Mulayam Singh expressed serious concern over the kind of situation which emerged after the disaster. He also suggested that serious efforts were required for the sustainable development in the disaster-hit State. He said, "The party workers should extend support to the people living in disaster-hit villages as they need serious support during this hour of need."
Sachan said that he was personally against the VIP visits during such times. The visits of VIPs involved lot of attention of the government machinery and security forces. So, there should be no such visits. In case of no such visits, the manpower could be utilised for the rescue and relief work. Sachan said that there should be efforts for hill development and concrete efforts were required to attract the tourists to the State. "After the disaster, scenario has changed drastically, the State Government will have to work hard to attract the tourists towards the state," Dr Sachan said.
Sachan says that the tourism is backbone of the economy of this hilly state. Drop in number of tourists will lead to unemployment around several tourist spots in the state where economy totally depends on the tourism. Challenges are ahead to bring the things on track. There is need to focus on several points together.
Sachan further added that UP Government extended support to the Uttarakhand by sending several officers to support it in the rescue and relief operation. He said that some of the officials were still in the state and were supporting the teams. Mulayam was about to visit the State on July 15 as per the earlier plan, but the State unit dropped the idea after the disaster hit the State. Once more, the party unit is taking efforts to bring him to the State.