Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Nov: Uttarakhand Congress Spokesperson Dr Pratima Singh today termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on the occasion of its 25th foundation day, yesterday, as deeply disappointing. She alleged that PM Modi’s failure to make any announcement in favour of Uttarakhand during his Dehradun tour and his failure to announce any relief for disaster victims amounts to an insult to the people of the state.
Singh asserted that Uttarakhand has been reeling under the impact of natural disasters for several years, but despite this, the PM’s silence on any developmental package reflects a lack of concern for the suffering of its citizens. She reminded that Modi’s yesterday’s visit to Uttarakhand was his first since the devastating monsoon calamity and claimed that it would have been appropriate had he announced financial assistance for the rehabilitation and development of the disaster-affected districts. However, by refraining from doing so, the PM has, ridiculed the 1.25 crore residents of Uttarakhand.
Singh further claimed that, even during previous visits, Modi has consistently ignored the state’s pressing needs. His failure to make any declaration on the Silver Jubilee of Uttarakhand’s formation has, she said, wounded public sentiment and betrayed the expectations of the people. Singh also criticised the manner in which Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government allegedly misused official machinery to forcibly mobilise crowds for the Prime Minister’s rally, stating that such tactics are well known and widely condemned.
According to Singh, the people of Uttarakhand were not merely hopeful but firmly confident that, having elected five BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha and given the party a two-thirds majority in the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, the PM would reciprocate with a meaningful announcement on behalf of the Central Government for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by natural disasters. She asserted that, by failing to do so, Modi has once again deceived and let down the people of Uttarakhand, who had placed their trust in him and his leadership.
