Harish Rawat visits Mussoorie Martyrs’ Memorial
By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 11 Nov: Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat paid tribute to the martyrs and felicitated statehood agitators and martyrs’ families with shawls and garlands, here, today. During the visit, he spoke openly about the current condition of the state, the government’s policies, and the future of Uttarakhand.
“The state was created by the sacrifice of martyrs, now we need to set a direction,” he asserted on the occasion.
Harish Rawat said that today is a day to remember the heroes whose sacrifice led to the creation of Uttarakhand. He said, “If we want to take the state in the right direction, we must first clarify its direction and vision. Today, I have come to meet the protesters to understand their thinking so that we can collectively decide what their dream about Uttarakhand should be.” Rawat asserted that Uttarakhand is not just a state of geographical boundaries, but an emotional state connected to the identity of people, forests, and land.
The former Chief Minister launched a scathing attack on the current Dhami government, saying that today the state’s land is being sold rampantly. He said that if there is no land left, how will forests survive. And, if there are no forests, how will the environment and culture survive? If people, forests, and land are not saved, the future of Uttarakhand will be in limbo. Rawat said that the BJP government is not taking the responsibility of the state’s development. It is bent on selling its soul and, in the name of development, the identity of the mountains is being erased.
Recalling his tenure, Harish Rawat said that, after becoming Chief Minister in 2014, he launched several new schemes and gave a new direction to the state’s development. Prior to that, governments were working under Uttar Pradesh schemes. He claimed, “We worked on the Uttarakhand model, but as soon as the BJP government came to power, it dumped our schemes. The work that was meant for the public was put on hold.”
Rawat praised and also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Uttarakhand. He said, “The Prime Minister won the hearts of the people by speaking Garhwali and Kumaoni and promoting Uttarakhand’s products, which is welcome. I am happy that today the Prime Minister is also talking about Uttarakhand’s products. This is the same initiative we started in 2014. But sadly, the Prime Minister remains silent on fundamental issues like migration, unemployment, and the capital.”
Harish Rawat said that, even today, there is confusion regarding the permanent capital of Uttarakhand. The location of the capital has not been decided. However, funds are needed to build it, and the central government has not provided any assistance. He said that more than 34 villages are in the grip of disasters, which the state is unable to rehabilitate on its own. Rawat said, “The Prime Minister has not said a word on such serious issues.”
The former Chief Minister said that since the previous industrial package has expired, industries are migrating from Uttarakhand. Many industries have closed or are reducing their capacity. New investors are not coming. The central government should have extended the industrial package for Uttarakhand, but this did not happen. He said that migration and unemployment are deeply intertwined issues, which cannot be resolved without a concrete policy.
Sarcastic about the Prime Minister’s visit, Harish Rawat said that the visit was actually an attempt to dent-paint the Dhami government. The powder falling on his face was simply a band-aid. He said that now even the BJP is remembering the anti-Tiwari government, meaning the BJP itself is acknowledging the Congress’s contribution.
Rawat said that neither a new medical college nor a nursing college was built during the Dhami government’s tenure. He said that the medical and nursing colleges that were founded during Congress rule are now on the verge of closure due to the BJP’s wrong policies.
At the end of the event, he stated that 2027 will be a year of change in Uttarakhand. Congress wants this change to be in favour of the people, they will take the right decision this time.
Harish Rawat expressed deep condolences over the Delhi blast. He said that this incident is extremely sad and worrying. This is the time when all must unite and take concrete steps in this direction.
Sandeep Sahni, former MLA Jot Singh Gunsola, Sonia Anand Rawat, Manish Guniyal, Godavari Thapali, Sushant Bohra, city president Amit Gupta, Mahesh Chand, Rajiv Agarwal, Wasim Khan, Saurabh Sonkar, Shahrukh Khan, Surendra Rawat, Ruchita Gupta, Jagpal Gusai, and many others were present on the occasion.
