Gairsain proved boon for Uttarakhand lawmakers, became richer by 100% salary hike with perks

The budget session of the current government headed by the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in Gairsain’s new assembly secretariat though convened to assuage the heightened and soared tempers of the Gairsain movement activists, has really not been able to satisfy and cajole the furious movement activists who not only protested at the venue most acrimoniously but also courted arrests everyday, raising anti establishment and pro Gairsain capital slogans.

The soaring tempers of thousands of people having converged at the new Vidhan Sabha demanding Gairsain to be declared as the permanent capital, with women in large numbers fighting with the police force to let them move forward towards the assembly building unambiguously exhibited the situation of the nineties when the Uttarakhand movement was at its peak.

The myriad amount of media coverage given to the movement for Gairsain has while lessoned the coverage of the assembly’s budget session, it has also on the other hand helped in boosting the morale of the Gairsain protagonists.

Political analysts say that by giving no significance to the issue of Gairsain capital during the entire budget session the BJP government of the state has further earned the wrath, annoyance and disenchantment of the common masses at large.

The complete success of the Gaisain bandh earlier and the Pauri Garhwal bandh of today has clearly shown the peoples’ antagonism towards the incumbent government on the issue of Gairsain capital.

What is more shocking and anguishing is the fact that instead of applying balm or grease on the wounds of the Gairsain andolankaries by raising the issue of Gairsain in the assembly, the BJP government of the state had preferred to pass a bill on 100 % increase in the salary of the lawmakers and the speaker of Uttarakhand thus adding fuel to fire to the Gairsain episode.

On the one hand thousands of unemployed youths were demonstrating at the state capital Dehradun demanding jobs and facing police blows on the other hand the lawmakers were busy enhancing their salaries and perks to the tune of 120%. Sounds ironical indeed.

The state running in a fiscal deficit of 44000 crores with budget of equal amount released in Gairsain assembly, the furious and highly antagonised people of the state are questioning the arbitrary salary hike of the lawmakers saying that the government of the day seems to be more concerned and worried for the welfare of its MLAs and ministers than the people of grass roots of rural Uttarakhand, reeling under abject poverty and no credible source of income to survive. What do you say friends?
SUNIL NEGI