Heavy resentment on the CM’s Saharanpur statement in Uttarakhand

While the project of Rs. 1,383 crores for constructing a hi tech tunnel to ease the movement of the pilgrims to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamnotri shortening the distance of 20 kilometres have been cleared by the cabinet committee on political affairs chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi and the work on the all weather roads is on full swing, the recent statement of the chief minister of Uttrakhand T S Rawat favouring annexation of Saharanpur with Uttarakhand in future has created tremendous amount of furore and anger amongst the people of the Himalayan state, majority of whom not only fully disagree with his statement but also see it as a deliberate pre strategic ploy to put the pivotal issue of Gairsain capital on the back burner.

Political analysts say that such a statement could not be issued just casually but must definitely be bearing some important reason and keeping in view the growing demand for Gairsain as the new permanent capital of UK , it may be the ploy to side line the core issue bound to have several ramifications. In Uttarakhand and even amongst the community living in Delhi and elsewhere majority of the people have felt hurt by possibility of Saharanpur’s annexation with UK and even if it is not a certainty, the statement of the CM saying that he always favoured bringing Saharanpur into UK’s fold has also annoyed them to a great extent.

People say that while the real issue associated with the sentiments of majority of the Uttarakhandies like Gairsain is not being attended to, despite the BJP being at the political helm of affairs at the centre and the state as well, but the irrelevent issues such as Saharanpur are gaining upper hand thus hurting the peoples’ emotions. Political analysts say that while there have been not a single statement from the state govt, the CM or any minister on Gairsain despite so much of hullaballoo and spate of agitations but on the issue of Saharanpur’s alleged annexation with Uttarakhand, there have been an extraordinary hurry with lead front page headlines appearing in all the regional and national dailies of the state given it a new political dimension and relevance.

Since then, the social networking sites and even the media is full of anti Saharanpur statements as the one below putting a cross on the CM’s story in a newspaper and saying ” TSR HOSH MEIN AAO, PAHAAD KI ROTI NAHI BATEGI, BAHISHKAAR KARENGE. ( TSR be in senses, will not let the Uttarakhand divide, will openly boycott). The way Gairsain capital movement is gaining ground and momentum these days the ruling party at the state and the centre should in all earnestness honour the peoples’ mandate and declare Gairsain as the permanent capital of UK than inviting the peoples’ wrath on irrelevent issues such as that of Saharanpur’s possible annexation with UK.

Even a laymen in Uttarakhand knows that due to the delimitation of the Assembly seats on population parameter, the hills of Uttarakhand had already lost good number of seats with the MLA seats of Uttarakhand plains increasing manifold. Just imagine if Saharanpur comes with Uttarakhand officially, what would be the fate of the already misrepresented rural Uttarakhand which has alrady lost its share of 32 lakh people through large scale migration during the last 17 years. What’s your take friends?
SUNIL NEGI