The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee is planning a demonstration to "remind" Yoga Guru Ramdev of the black money issue that he had raised strongly during the last lok Sabha elections. Addressing the media here on Tuesday, PCC president Kishore Upadhyaya said that on January 29 Congress members will hold a peaceful demonstration at Haridwar to draw Ramdev's focus on the black money issue.
The PCC chief said, "During the lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Baba Ramdev had promised that black money would be brought back to India from abroad following which each family would get Rs 15 lakh apart from Rs 25,000 monthly. Ramdev had also pledged to return to the Patanjali Yogpeeth only after the UPA Government was voted out. We wish to remind him that the promised return of black money to India has not taken place yet and request him that he should question the BJP-led Government at the Centre. On January 29, Congress members will demonstrate in Haridwar by singing bhajans liked by Gandhi to remind Ramdev of the black money issue.
"In a State like Uttarakhand where members of the religious fraternity are numerous, we would humbly point out to Ramdev that if he doesn't keep his promises regarding black money, the faith of the public in the religious fraternity might get affected," said the PCC chief. Upadhyaya also said that to mark 100 years of Gandhi's return to India on January 9, the Congress will organise an all-religion meet at Gandhi Park in Dehradun. Similar programmes will be held across the State throughout the year. Meanwhile, the last date for the party's membership campaign in Uttarakhand has been extended by about a month to February 28, he added.
The Congress State co- in charge Sanjay Kapoor said that to assess the reasons for the party's defeat in the lok Sabha elections and to discuss efforts needed to ensure survival of the party, deliberations will be held with party cadres in Dehradun for Garhwal region on January 10-11 and in Haldwani for Kumaon region on January 20-21.
The Congress national general secretary Ambika Soni will also be attending the deliberations that would entail group discussions with the party members and leaders. Kapoor also questioned the Modi Government on the limited reduction in price of petroleum products in spite of substantial drop in the international price of crude oil.