By Our Staff Reporter
Haldwani, 22 Nov: Congress MLA from Haldwani, Sumit Hridayesh, today sharply criticised the government for its push to install smart meters. He accused the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led BJP Government of harassing the public under the guise of modernisation. Hridayesh asserted that the Congress party would oppose the installation of smart meters “at any cost”. He also expressed concern about the burden on citizens, claiming that, from the tourism sector to the common person, everyone in the state is struggling with employment and other issues. In such a situation, how can people prioritise recharging smart meters over paying their children’s school fees, he asked.
Hridayesh claimed that the introduction of prepaid meters would impose an additional financial strain on Uttarakhand residents. Reiterating his party’s stance, the Congress MLA declared that the party would launch a large-scale movement to prevent the implementation of prepaid meters. He added that, through this movement, the Congress will try to make the government aware of the public’s plight.
Mentioning the recently held Kedarnath assembly by-election, Hridayesh predicted a victory for Congress candidate Manoj Rawat. He claimed that Rawat had gained significant public support due to his focus on local issues. He said that the people of Kedarnath are blessing the Congress candidate, and he will win this by-election by a large margin. He also criticised the BJP, alleging insensitivity of the ruling party during the last rites of late Shaila Rani. He claimed that while the final rites were being performed, BJP leaders were busy installing a rock at Kedarshila. This shows their lack of concern for the people, he remarked.
Hridayesh asserted that the Congress campaign during the Kedarnath by-poll had centred around critical issues, including the chaos and disorder in the conduct of the Char Dham Yatra, and expressed confidence that these resonated with voters. He claimed that, tomorrow, the Congress candidate would secure a decisive victory.
