Fishy practice adopted in the identification of Uttarakhand AANDOLANKARIES

Strange, shocking and ridiculous things are happening in Uttarakhand these days.

I have recieved a press clipping of a news published in Rashtriya Sahara,Uttarakhand edition with a Pauri date line,in my FBmessenger box send by one of my wellwishers’, regarding the identification of the authentic Uttarakhand movement activists who had contributed dedicatedly and relentlessly during the separate UK movement by way of their participation in the long phase of struggle, thus being an important person enabling his or her pivotal role in getting separate statehood.

The govt of UK had been doing this at the decentralized level to identify such genuine people who were arrested, or the important part of the movement so that they can be issued an official identity card declaring them as UTTARAKHAND ANDOLANKARI, who could further be officially liable for certain benefits or privileges.

In one of the instances as per the news clipping, one of the official member of Uttarakhand ANDOLAKARI PARISHAD namely Mrs Beera Bhandari of Pauri has officially identified and recommended her own son who wasn’ t even born during the movement phase 1994. Not only this but those who were addmitted in Pauri hospital during the movement days undergoing treatment for simple ailments like fewel and loose motions were also recomended for the official andolankari status showing them to have been injred fr injuries while participating in the demonstrations pertaining to the separate hill state. Sounds shocking.

There are few other examples of such manipulations putting the government in the dark and misusing the official position. On can easily come to the conclusion that if this is the doubtful status n modus operandie of this Uttarakhand movement identification exercise in one district what is the guarantee that things would be moving in right direction elsewhere.

Actually after the formation of separate Uttarakhand state in 2000, the new government had established a full fledged UTTARAKHAND RAJYA AANDOLANKARI PARISHAD, having the full fledged vice chairman of state cabinet rank. Its primary job was to identify AANDOLANKARIES from all over the state under certain criterias so that they are officially declared the Uttarakhand movement activists and sanctioned a pension or a job depending upon their eligibility.

But the way things are moving the real and genuine andolankaries have expressed there reservation and apprehensions over the selection process accusing the powers that be of alleged nepotism and favoritism.

SUNIL NEGI