Garhwal Post Bureau
Nainital, 26 Oct: Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar MP and former Union Minister Ajay Bhatt today launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that both leaders are competing to make remarks that hurt the dignity and self-respect of Uttarakhand. He claimed that while Rahul Gandhi has targeted National Security Advisor Ajit Doval by referring to him as a “villain”, Akhilesh Yadav has insulted the people of Uttarakhand by allegedly describing them as “infiltrators”. Bhatt said the politics of the Congress and its allies has now been reduced to attacking respected personalities and the identity of Devbhoomi.
Bhatt said Rahul Gandhi should recognise the contribution of Ajit Doval, who has dedicated his life to strengthening the country’s security and serving national interests, instead of viewing such issues through a political lens. Referring to Akhilesh Yadav’s reported remarks, he said Uttarakhand’s people have earned respect across the country through their hard work, talent, service to the nation and sacrifices, and not because of the patronage of any political party. He added that describing the people of a state whose sons and daughters serve on the nation’s borders as infiltrators reflected irresponsible politics and a lack of respect for Uttarakhand.
The BJP leader also invoked memories of the 1994 Uttarakhand statehood movement, saying the people of the state had not forgotten the pain associated with the period. He recalled that during the tenure of the then Uttar Pradesh government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, police firing had taken place on protesters demanding a separate hill state. Describing the Rampur Tiraha incident as a dark chapter in Uttarakhand’s history, Bhatt said the people of the region were then struggling for their rights and identity but instead faced repression. He alleged that after the suffering endured during the father’s tenure, remarks attributed to the son are now hurting the self-respect of Uttarakhand’s people. According to him, the state has not forgotten the suffering of the movement era and would not tolerate such statements.
Bhatt also targeted Uttarakhand Congress leaders, questioning their silence over the controversy. He pointed out that Akhilesh Yadav is a political ally of Rahul Gandhi and asked why Congress leaders in the state has failed to condemn the remarks allegedly directed at Uttarakhand’s people. He questioned whether they lack the courage to criticise a coalition partner and asked whether the Congress had mortgaged the state’s honour for the sake of alliance politics.
He said Uttarakhand Congress leaders should abandon what he described as a dual approach and clearly state whether they stand with the people of Devbhoomi or are prepared to remain silent under the pressure of political alliances. Bhatt alleged that Congress leaders readily issue statements against their political opponents but fall silent when an ally is accused of insulting the people of Uttarakhand. Such silence, he claimed, exposed their political compulsions and the gap between their words and actions.
Emphasising the contribution of Uttarakhand’s people, Bhatt said the state is not one whose citizens could be insulted without consequence while political parties remained mute spectators. He said Devbhoomi had secured statehood through years of struggle and sacrifice and have established a distinct identity through the contributions of its soldiers, youth, working people and statehood activists. Any insult to them, he added, was unacceptable.
Bhatt demanded that Akhilesh Yadav issue a public apology to the people of Uttarakhand and said the Congress leadership should clarify its stand on the remarks made by its political ally. He also urged Uttarakhand Congress leaders to break their silence and state whether the state’s honour is more important to them than alliance compulsions.
