By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 24 Oct: The BJP today strongly condemned Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav for allegedly describing people from Uttarakhand as infiltrators in Uttar Pradesh and also questioned the silence of the Congress leadership over the controversy. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here today, BJP state spokesperson and senior MLA Vinod Chamoli accused the Congress of extending political protection to Akhilesh Yadav and asked who was responsible for repeatedly allowing the people of Uttarakhand to be insulted while remaining silent on the issue. He said the entire episode had once again established that the anti-Uttarakhand mindset of Mulayam Singh Yadav continues to survive in his son, Akhilesh Yadav and lamented that he continues to enjoy the protection of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.
Chamoli said Akhilesh Yadav’s reported description of Uttarakhand residents living in UP as ‘infiltrators’ was an extremely serious matter and reflected his distorted thinking and attitude towards the people of the hill state. He asserted that every Indian citizen has the constitutional right to reside in any state of the country, adding that describing people from Uttarakhand as infiltrators was indicative of the same objectionable mindset that had been displayed by Mulayam Singh Yadav during the Uttarakhand statehood movement.
Recalling the struggle for a separate Uttarakhand state, Chamoli said the people of the region had suffered immensely, with 42 people laying down their lives during the movement. Thousands had faced imprisonment, police atrocities, harassment and other hardships. He particularly referred to the Muzaffarnagar incident, in which the statehood agitators had faced what he described as massacre-like brutality. He said the people of Uttarakhand had hoped that after the creation of the state and more than two decades of struggle, the mindset of the Samajwadi Party leadership might have changed. However, Akhilesh Yadav’s latest reported remarks had demonstrated that the legacy of his father’s anti-Uttarakhand approach continued to be reflected in his attitude.
Drawing a parallel between the present controversy and the events during the statehood movement, Chamoli recalled the slogan raised by the agitators at the time: “Who is the real culprit who remains silent in Delhi?” He said that while Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government was unleashing atrocities against the people of Uttarakhand, killing protesters, sending them to prison, resorting to lathi-charges and subjecting them to harassment, the entire region had been plunged into turmoil. Life had virtually come to a standstill and the people of Uttarakhand had suffered immensely, he said.
Chamoli alleged that the Congress-led Central Government of the time, headed by Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, had played an equally significant role in protecting the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh. He said this was the reason the slogan questioning the silence of the leadership in Delhi had become popular during the statehood movement.
Referring specifically to the Muzaffarnagar incident of 2 October 1994, Chamoli said the statehood agitationists had not been marching to stage a protest in Uttar Pradesh but were proceeding towards Delhi to put forward their demands before the Central Government. However, he alleged, they were stopped and subjected to police firing, sexual violence and brutal treatment at Muzaffarnagar at the behest of the then political establishment in Delhi and under the Mulayam Singh Yadav government. He asserted that the Samajwadi Party alone could not be held responsible for the atrocities committed against the people of Uttarakhand during the movement, as the Congress was equally complicit in the events and bore an equal share of responsibility.
Chamoli further alleged that the same political pattern is being repeated today. He also emphasized that recently Rahul Gandhi had also made objectionable remarks about the late General Bipin Rawat, referring to him as a ‘gali ka goonda’, and had also made derogatory comments about National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. On the other hand, Akhilesh Yadav is allegedly describing people from Uttarakhand living in UP as infiltrators.
He questioned the very basis of using the term ‘infiltrators’ for Indian citizens, pointing out that the term had generally been used in the context of illegal infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas and had never been applied to citizens of the country. “Does Akhilesh Yadav not consider the people of Uttarakhand citizens of this country?” he asked.
The BJP leader also questioned whether Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the INDIA alliance along with the Samajwadi Party, would respond to the controversy, particularly since Akhilesh Yadav is one of the principal political leaders of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh. He said Rahul Gandhi can’t remain silent on such an issue when his political ally was allegedly insulting the people of Uttarakhand.
Chamoli questioned whether a community known for its patriotic spirit and sacrifices for the security of the country could ever be described as infiltrators. He said the people of Uttarakhand have consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment to national security, with countless individuals making the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation and setting exemplary standards of courage and patriotism.
The BJP MLA also challenged the Congress leadership in Uttarakhand to openly state its position on the controversy. Addressing senior Congress leaders, including the state party president, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Harak Singh Rawat and Pritam Singh, Chamoli asked whether they consider themselves infiltrators and whether they would oppose the Samajwadi Party over the alleged remarks. He said the Congress leaders needed to clarify whether they would condemn the Samajwadi Party’s thinking and stand up for the dignity of the people of Uttarakhand.
Chamoli, however, said he did not wish to include former Congress state president Karan Mahara in his appeal, alleging that Mahara had earlier made an objectionable remark about spitting on people from Garhwal. He said Mahara had, in his view, forfeited the moral right to be included in the discussion.
Reiterating his charge against the Congress, Chamoli said that just as the Samajwadi Party was responsible for the atrocities committed during the Uttarakhand statehood movement and is now facing criticism over Akhilesh Yadav’s alleged remarks, the Congress too bears equal responsibility, both historically and in the present political context, for supporting the Samajwadi Party.
He reminded that Uttarakhand is a state carved out after a prolonged struggle by its people and said that the BJP had appointed Nityanand Swami as the state’s first Chief Minister. Uttarakhand, he said, is a state that respects patriots and values democratic principles. However, he alleged that the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the INDIA alliance as a whole have consistently treated Uttarakhand and its people as second-class citizens and repeatedly undermined their dignity.
Chamoli asserted that the BJP strongly condemned the entire episode and would not accept any attempt to insult the people of Devbhoomi. He also expressed strong disapproval of the Congress for allegedly supporting and extending political protection to those responsible for the controversy.
