By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 18 Jul: Congress Uttarakhand in-charge and MP Kumari Selja on Saturday held a press conference here. Addressing media persons, she claimed that the BJP is afraid of Rahul Gandhi and it attempts to organise parallel programmes and create hurdles whenever he raises the voice of the people. She said the response of the BJP to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Dehradun on Friday had clearly demonstrated that the ruling party is nervous about the growing discontent among the youth and the general public.
Addressing the press conference Selja said that whenever Rahul Gandhi raised pertinent issues concerning the people, and this had resulted in the BJP becoming apprehensive of him. She claimed that attempts were made in one way or another to disrupt his programmes in the past and that a similar effort was made in connection with the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme organised in Dehradun on Friday.
She claimed that Rahul Gandhi is not a leader who will retreat because of such disruptions. Whenever he raises the voice of the people, the BJP is nervous. She added that Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders would visit Uttarakhand repeatedly in the coming days.
Selja said the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme has provided a glimpse of the problems being faced by students and their families. Rahul Gandhi had interacted with a large number of students and listened to their concerns, particularly on issues such as paper leaks and the difficulties faced by aspirants preparing for recruitment examinations. She said the Congress is raising the voice of the students because of the alleged failure and inefficiency of the government, and the pain being suffered by students and their families had been clearly visible during the programme.
The Congress leader alleged that the BJP had made every possible effort to prevent or undermine Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with the students. Sometimes there was the excuse of the ground and sometimes another programme was organised at the same time. The question is, why is the government so afraid? she asked.
She also claimed that the decision to organise a parallel programme at short notice in the wake of the Congress event itself indicated the apprehension within the BJP. According to Selja, the ruling party’s reaction had also made it clear in which direction the political wind was blowing. The voice of the youth and ordinary citizens was resonating across the country, she said, adding that the people of Uttarakhand had seen only a glimpse of what was taking place in the State.
Selja said that while the attitude of the government towards the programme was visible, the enthusiasm of the people and the youth was equally evident. “The BJP is nervous and the people are standing up,” she said, claiming that the public was seeking change and that the Congress would continue to reach out to the people on issues of public concern.
She alleged that Uttarakhand had increasingly acquired the image of a ‘paper leak capital’ and that paper leaks were only one manifestation of the corruption allegedly spreading through the system. Under the BJP’s double-engine government, corruption was eating away at the system like termites, she alleged.
Selja said the Congress would continue to raise issues concerning students, young people and ordinary citizens and would launch campaigns across the State to expose what it described as the failures of the BJP government. She said the party would remain continuously engaged with the people and would take up issues related to paper leaks, corruption, unemployment and other matters of public concern.
Targeting both the Central and State governments, Selja said the government’s accountability also has been questioned in matters ranging from the Ram temple to the alleged theft of offerings at the Badrinath shrine. She alleged that liquor, land and mining mafias are flourishing in Uttarakhand and that the government has failed to take effective action against them.
The Congress in-charge said the party would raise all these issues before the people and intensify its campaign across Uttarakhand. She claimed that the response to Rahul Gandhi’s programme has shown that the Congress has succeeded in bringing the concerns of students and the youth into the centre of political debate.
Selja also raised concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She alleged that irregularities had come to light in the inclusion of the names of service voters and certain voters in cantonment areas. She said the Congress would not allow any kind of manipulation in the electoral rolls and that a party delegation would meet election officials to register its complaints.
She said the Congress is fully prepared for the next electoral battle, whether elections were held ahead of schedule or at the stipulated time. Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal said the party is ready to face the elections and would continue to raise issues concerning the people.
Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya, Election Management Committee chairman Pritam Singh, Campaign Committee chairman Dr Harak Singh Rawat, former Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara, Qazi Nizamuddin and several other senior Congress leaders were present on this occasion.
