'Will not allow any Union Minister to enter State'

Accusing the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre of remaining apathetic towards the interests of Uttarakhand, the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay said that party workers will not allow any Union Minister to enter the State. He alleged that the BJP MPs from Uttarakhand were failing to raise important state issues with the Centre and hence the Congress workers will gherao the MPs in a phased manner from August 13.

Addressing the media at the Congress Bhawan here on Monday, Upadhyay said that the PCC will start an agitation demanding justice for Uttarakhand from the Central Government and BJP MPs of the State. As part of this agiation, the Congress workers will not allow any Central minister to enter the State. 

“We will stage protests wherever any central minister goes in Uttarakhand. Additionally, our party workers will also gherao the Delhi homes of the State’s MPs from August 13. Uttarakhand has a major role in national security and development with the Himalayas here keeping foreign intruders at bay on the one hand and the Ganga-Yamuna and various rivers originating from the State playing a major role in the development of the nation. This region sustains the lives of about 600 lakh people in the nation. 

However, since BJP came to power at the Centre the interests of Uttarakhand are being neglected even though the people of the State had given a clear mandate to the BJP in the last lok Sabha elections. The promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the lok Sabha election campaign have not been fulfilled while the BJP MPs from Uttarakhand are also remaining silent on these issues. 

We have been demanding that the people of Uttarakhand be provided job reservation in Central Government services and that the State be provided a special industrial package. 

We have also been demanding a package of Rs 10,000 crore for Uttarakhand under the clean Ganga mission and green bonus to the State for protection of the environment; Rs 4,000 crore central assistance for relief and reconstruction works in the State’s disaster affected areas and withdrawal of the Rs 5,000 crore cut in State resources as stated in the Centre’s general budget,” said Upadhyay while adding that the Centre has so far not provided any assistance for the Ardh Kumbh to be held next year in the State.