Gairsain movement reminds us of the Uttarakhand movement of the nineties

If any popular government elected by the historic mandate of the people does not fulfil peoples’ demand and tries to sideline core issues its for sure that the next time that government is bound to bite the dust irrespective of its assurances of the over all development of the state.

This is what is in store for the current ruling party government of BJP in Utarakhand having been given a massive mandate by the state’s electorates which seems to be least or negligibly interested to declare Gairsain as the permanent capital of the 18 year old state symbolising the new era of decentralised socio economic and political development of the state right up to the village level ensuring reverse migration as well.

It’s for the very first time after 18 years since the state came into separate existence that Uttarakhand is witnessing such a widespread movement for Gairsain capital reminding us of the separate Uttarakhand movement in which citizens participated selflessly killing their careers during the nineties in which unaccounted numbers of women, men, youth, students, ex servicemen, journalists, intellectuals and even senior citizens embraced imprisonment and tortures with 43 people becoming martyrs.

The way people in large numbers turned up at Bharadisain from various parts of the state and confronted with the police breaking barricades to reach the assembly secretariat including courting of arrests on the first day of the budget session on 20 th March, it unambiguously speaks of the fact that the activists for Gairsain capital are ready for any sacrifice come what may till their demand is not met forthwith.

On 20th March 2018 the first day of Gairsain’s budget session saw thousands of protestors demonstrating and squatting at the new assembly premises fighting all odds finally courting arrrests raising pro Gairsain and anti government slogans.

Thousands of state police personels stationed in and around Gairsain had a very hard and tough day dealing with the firious and angered agitationists who numbered in thousands. women, youths, students and even scribes raising slogans holding party flags, banners and playcards.

Gairsain looked like a battle field and police had a hard day confronting, pacifying and arresting the processionists.

The way this movement is gaining tremendous momentum and the way entire political parties and the general public, right from grass roots to suburban areas, except the ruling BJP is supporting it, it seems the latter is under extreme pressure to finally fall in line, may be just before the next assembly elections of the state to fullfil this protracted demand.

Actually, the way people of the state had been fed up by the betrayal of the successive governments during the last 18 years, the Gairsain movement seems to be the cumulative effect of the frustration piling up against the government particularly due to incessant migration, increasing unemployment, lack of health facilities, degeneration of education system, increasing fiscal deficit of the state to the tune of 44000 crores and deteriorating agrarian sector etc.

The time is ripe for the BJP to declare Gairsain as the permanent UK capital and win the hearts of 1.15 crore people of the state in a single go as ultimately this has to finally happen, one day. The moot point is which party fulfills this long pending demand, the BJP in its present term or Congress next time, when it comes to power, though its an unpredictable question, ofcourse . What do you say friends?

SUNIL NEGI