Movement brewing up on Gairsain capital issue in Uttarakhand

A massive movement is brewing up in Uttarakhand on the pivotal issue of capital Gairsain. The passionate issue of Gairsain to be declared as the capital of Uttarakhand is very much in the news these days with people in and outside this 17 year old state protesting on roads and holding seminars demanding fulfilment of this long pending emotional demand.

Baba Mohan Singh Uttarakhandi, a renowned movement activist gave up his precious life by undertaking indefinite hunger strike at Gairsain in support of this unanimous demand. Uttarakhand movement activists, intellectuals and socio political activists from all over the country held a brain storming session in Dehradun two days ago and demanded declaration of Gairsain as the permanent capital of Uttarakhand whereas some people in Gairsain sat on indefinite hunger strike to compel the present BJP government acede to their long pending demand. Demonstrations are also being held in various parts of the state to impress upon the current political dispensation do the needful at the earliest.

It may be recalled that Gairsain is situated in Chamoli district and is equi distant from Kumaon as well as Garhwal geographically. The demand was first raised by the Indian freedom fighter and revolutionery late Chandra Singh Garhwali who belonged to Dudatoli, Gairsain and was later on included in the menifesto of the regional socio political outfit UTTARAKHAND KRANTI DAL and other progressive organisations then fighting for separate Uttarakhand state. During the first election of Uttarakhand state at the time of the state’s formation both the Congress and the BJP included this pivotal issue in their respective menifestoes but after coming to power in state both these parties literally forgot to fulfill this long pending popular demand.

However, after the constant pressure and protests of the Uttarakhand andolankaries in and outside the state and mobilisation in the print and electronic media the Congress government was compelled to declare it a partial summer capital of Uttarakhand during the chief ministership of Vijay Bahuguna during the previous regime later on followed by Harish Rawat. A central fund of Rs. 500 or more crores was sanctioned for construction of a huge i.e. a palatial VIDHAN SABHA which was ultimately constructed after lots of hiccups and reluctance. Since then few sessions of Vidhan Sabha satr were organised here to divert the peoples’ attention and make them happy temperorily.

But what make the situation worse is the fact that the present government has outrightly issued statements denying to make it a permanent capital annoying the people, intellectuals and socio political activists of Uttarakhand. BJP says that this demand was not in its agenda and is of wavering mind on this emotional issue with its leaders issuing self contradictory statements from time to time to the discomfiture of the state’s electorates.

Since the current political dispensation headed by Trivendra Singh Rawat is in absolute majority, rather more than that, it dosen’t have any vulnerability in terms of governments destabilisation and as such they are over confident of continuing their rule for complete five years while the Congress party being in the opposition is taking the full advantage of publicly accusing the BJP government as anti Gairsain thus winning the support, confidence and sympathy of the anti BJP socio political forces and the general masses. Time is not far when the state of Uttarakhand may witness a massive statewise movement on the issue of Gairsain in the near future.
SUNIL NEGI