The two-day session of the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha in Bhararisain (Gairsain) stopped just short of being a farce. Were it not for the fact that a supplementary budget was passed as were nine bills crucial to the government’s political agenda, the credibility of the legislature would have come under question. There are two aspects to the drama that unfolded – first, Gairsain’s status as the ‘Summer Capital’, and the desperation of the main opposition party, Congress, following its successive defeats at every level of democratic representation.
Even before the session began, observers had noted that there is almost no enthusiasm among the legislators, be it of the BJP or Congress, for undertaking legislative business in Gairsain. It was predicted that, as in the past, a way would be found to shorten even the designated four-day session and that’s how it turned out. For all the fancy talk, the fact remains that Gairsain simply lacks the infrastructure to host the legislative and administrative machinery necessary even for such a short period. Staff and even journalists have to be put up in places quite distant from the Assembly building in uncomfortable lodgings. Those who have a strong sentiment for a ‘hill’ capital should simply accept that there is no scope for the town’s expansion, given the lack of space in the surrounding terrain. Even supplying water for a permanent government set-up is not a possibility. The relatively more spacious Doon Valley is bursting at the seams in functioning as the capital. A few legislators have openly stated this fact and there was some acknowledgement of this reality when former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat declared Gairsain the summer capital. Even that will require quite some ingenuity to implement in the true sense.
The other factor to be noted is the resort by the state Congress unit to what may be best described as ‘unparliamentary’ tactics. This is an agenda being played out by the party at the national level under the leadership of LOP Rahul Gandhi. It not only disrespects present conventions but also seeks to delegitimise constitutional institutions. This may have some traction in certain states where caste coalitions benefit from such alienation, but it certainly will not impress the people of Uttarakhand. The Kejriwal type tactics of ‘occupying’ the Vidhan Sabha will do no better for the Congress than they did for the original anarchist. Under the present circumstances, the Dhami Government would have to do very badly if the Congress is to have any hope of making it back to power.
