Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 28 Oct: Alleging that the Pushkar Singh Dhami government is shying away from serious debate on issues of public concern, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal said the opposition was not given an opportunity to seek answers on the Ankita Bhandari murder case, corruption, unemployment and other pressing matters during the session. He reminded that the asembly session held in Gairsain could not even complete a full day before the government adjourned the House indefinitely, raising serious questions over public sentiment, democratic traditions and the vision of developing Gairsain as the state’s summer capital. He also claimed that the session at Gairsain was a complete waste of public money.
Godiyal questioned the very purpose of convening the Assembly session in Gairsain, asking Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to explain why the session was held there when adequate time was not provided for discussion on pressing public issues. He also alleged that the Congress MLAs wanted to seek answers from the government on the Ankita Bhandari murder case, widespread corruption in the state, unemployment and various issues affecting ordinary citizens. However, the opposition’s demand for discussions on these matters was not accepted, raising questions about whether the government was attempting to avoid facing serious and uncomfortable questions.
Godiyal said that shifting ministers, officials and the entire government machinery to Gairsain in the name of holding an Assembly session and returning within a few hours amounted to misuse of taxpayers’ money and the hard-earned resources of the people. He argued that, if the session was to be limited to only a few hours, it could just as well have been held in Dehradun. The real objective of conducting Assembly sessions in Gairsain, he said, should not be mere formality but meaningful deliberations on issues concerning the people and ensuring the government’s accountability.
He further stated that Gairsain symbolises the aspirations, struggles and ideals of the Uttarakhand statehood movement and should not be reduced to a venue for symbolic exercises. The dignity and significance of Gairsain, he said, would be preserved only if regular Assembly sessions of adequate duration were conducted there and important issues related to public welfare were discussed in a meaningful and substantive manner.
Godiyal also asserted that, if Congress returns to power in the state, Gairsain would be declared the permanent capital of Uttarakhand. He said that the Assembly building in Gairsain and other related infrastructure were also contributions of previous Congress governments. He added that every MLA should be given sufficient opportunity during Assembly sessions to raise issues concerning their constituencies and that the government must fulfil its accountability towards the people.
He claimed the government’s stance reflected an attempt to evade accountability before the people of the state. He alleged that the government’s reluctance to take up these matters raises serious questions about its willingness to face scrutiny on issues affecting the people of the state.
