By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 27 Dec: BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt today asserted that what happened in Purola (District Uttarkashi), recently, prima facie appeared to be a case of attempted mass conversion. It was to curb such incidents that Uttarakhand had enacted one of the most stringent anti-conversion laws.
Bhatt was interacting with media persons here today. He claimed that strict action would be taken in this incident, too, under the provisions of the new law. It would also be applied in other pending cases of similar nature, too. This would deter those who intend to lure people in remote areas to convert.
In response to another question, Bhatt said some meetings had been held at the party level to discuss Lal Batti appointments. However, another meeting is proposed to be held under the chairmanship of Dushyant Gautam, the BJP leader in charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand. After this meeting, a tentative list of possible names would be handed over to the government. However, he reminded that Lal Batti appointments are a prerogative of the CM and the final decision would be his alone. He expressed the hope that Lal Batti appointments would be made early next year.
Regarding the expansion of the party organisation, the state president informed media that the constitution of district units in three districts is yet to be carried out. Once this is done, the full party organisation would be announced soon after. In addition, state teams in case of two Morchas would also be announced soon.
In response to another question, he strongly condemned Harish Rawat’s attempt to ‘politicise’ the Ankita Bhandari murder case and termed it as extremely unfortunate. Bhatt claimed that the government is committed to ensuing justice for Ankita Bhandari and the court has put a stamp of approval on the investigation into the case done, so far. Bhatt said that senior Congress leaders like Harish Rawat ought to refrain from indulging in petty politics over the incident.
Mahendra Bhatt reminded that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had directed fair and early action in the case and, on his instructions, the SIT had carried out a sincere and fair investigation. Presently, this matter is under consideration of the court and the government is fully committed to following whatever decision or instructions are given by the court. He said it would have been better had the Congress cooperated in the campaign to get justice for the daughter of Devbhoomi. It is not proper for a senior leader like former CM Harish Rawat to do petty politics in a case pending in the court.
Bhatt claimed that the people of the state are fully satisfied with the action as well as the intention of the BJP government in this case but the Congress leaders have found this fact hard to digest. The High Court has also rejected the petition for a CBI inquiry, while ruling the SIT investigation to be in the right direction. Regrettably, the Congress, which had been making political statements in the guise of this petition, had insulted the decision of the court by continuing to protest and still demanding a CBI inquiry.
