People of Uttarakhand sacrificed for Statehood: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that people of Uttarakhand made immense sacrifices for its formation but are now being undermined by the Centre which is operating the State via remote control.
Gandhi, who cancelled his scheduled visit to Almora and Pauri Garhwal after his helicopter encountered severe weather conditions and he was forced to return to the Pantnagar airport, addressed two rallies virtually. Elections are slated to be held in the state next year.
Addressing the Almora rally over a phone call facilitated by Congress general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha alleged that the vision behind the creation of Uttarakhand was being undermined.
Though a major portion of his address over the phone was not clearly audible, Gandhi apologised to the gathering for his absence and targeted the ruling dispensation. He said the people of the state had envisioned a future where they retained self-determination rather than being governed by external forces.
“The Constitution states that India, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. You made immense sacrifices to form this State. Regrettably, Uttarakhand is not being managed by its own people today; it is being operated via remote control from Delhi,” he said.
He further alleged that outsiders are exploiting the natural resources of the State, depriving the local population of the benefits.
Gandhi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the central government of “systematically dismantling” critical socio-economic protections. He highlighted four specific areas where he claimed these protections had eroded.
Firstly, he alleged that household savings and gold held by the public had been diminished.
Secondly, he stated that small and medium enterprises, particularly in the textile and food processing sectors, had been devastated by the flawed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Thirdly, the Congress leader criticised the current foreign policy alignment, claiming that India’s energy security is now constrained by external geopolitical pressures.
“Today, we can only purchase oil from countries approved by America. This crucial protection has been dismantled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah,” he alleged.
Gandhi cited geopolitical tensions, noting that during the conflict between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz was subsequently closed.
Lastly, he claimed that the agricultural protection system for farmers had been weakened, alleging that the prime minister is “working to further external interests rather than national priorities”.
The public meeting, held with the upcoming assembly elections in mind, was attended by many senior state leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Yashpal Arya and former chief minister Harish Rawat.
After his visit was cancelled, Gandhi shared a video message and a written statement on X, expressing regret to the people of the state.
“Today morning I reached Pantnagar. From there, we were scheduled to go to Almora by helicopter for a public meeting, but seeing the adverse weather conditions, the pilot flatly refused to take off,” Gandhi said.
He said he wanted to discuss the current situation of Uttarakhand, its economic and social issues, and the challenges confronting the state.
“We are all humble before nature and there can be no compromise with the safety of co-passengers. Sometimes circumstances are not according to our wishes, but this does not reduce the desire to meet and connect with you,” Gandhi wrote, promising to return soon for a detailed visit.
In his video message shared after the cancellation, Gandhi expressed his disappointment at not being able to interact with the people. He stated that he had intended to discuss the current political and economic situation of Uttarakhand, as well as share his vision for the future of the state. The Congress leader assured the public that the visit would be rescheduled at the earliest possible date.
His itinerary also included a meeting with ex-servicemen in Pauri Garhwal and a visit to a gym in Kotdwar with its owner, Deepak Kumar. He also addressed the ex-servicemen rally later virtually, where he launched a sharp attack on the Centre, alleging that the Agnipath scheme has breached a “sacred, unwritten contract” between the nation and its soldiers.
Gandhi arrived in Uttarakhand this morning on a two-day visit to travel across both the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to address public rallies, meet party workers and interact with the families of ex-servicemen.
