Dehradun, Oct 4 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of “fabricating” issues, while claiming that the grand old party has “exposed” itself over the alleged purification ritual performed at the Haldwani event venue of party President Mallikarjun Kharge.
In an exclusive interaction with IANS at Uttarakhand’s border town of Banbasa, the Chief Minister spoke on a range of issues, including the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
IANS: This is the first time that a government in Uttarakhand has held a Cabinet meeting near the India-Nepal border. Any specific reason behind choosing Banbasa?
CM Dhami: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to bring border areas into the mainstream for their development, prioritising them as “first” villages.
He (PM Modi) had declared from the Mana village, that it along with similar border villages, would henceforth be designated as “first villages” and that their development would be prioritised. The villages would be comprehensively established, and planned by capitalising on their future potential.
On those lines, the state government visited the Banbasa-Tanakpur region, home to the revered ‘Maa Purnagiri Dham’ and situated along the sacred banks of the Sharda river. This area is historically significant as it shares border with Nepal, and hosts an Army cantonment board and a large contingent of paramilitary forces.
The region also serves as a route for the Kailash-Mansarovar and Adi Kailash pilgrimages. It boasts of numerous religious sites and also borders Uttar Pradesh.
Holding the Cabinet meeting here has been a positive experience and has been well-received by the public. We intend to continue this practice, demonstrating that the Uttarakhand government can make crucial state decisions from any location.
We believe that the Uttarakhand government should go to every place, big or small. The government’s work should be decentralised. As the ‘Mukhya Sevak’ (chief servant), there are many places in the state where no one had ever gone before, but I have reached those places. We will continue making such efforts in the future as well.
IANS: Uttarakhand is the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). How do you look back at the process?
CM Dhami: Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we contested the elections in Uttarakhand in 2022. Then, we had promised the people here that we would bring a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) law. The people of Uttarakhand blessed us with their mandate, and we fulfilled the promise we had made to them.
The draft for UCC was prepared under the chairmanship of Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, after consulting with everyone and holding discussions with all stakeholders.
We are happy that under the leadership of PM Modi, the people of the state blessed us with their mandate and we fulfilled the promise made to them. Now it is being followed by others (BJP and NDA-ruled states).
IANS: Rahul Gandhi has made series of allegations against the Narendra Modi government during several of his programmes, including ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’. What are your views on the LoP’s campaign?
CM Dhami: The ‘Yuvraj’ (Rahul Gandhi) is completely unacquainted with India’s culture and values.
It is not reflected in his conduct or his upbringing. After all, would anyone mock the gesture of a Prime Minister offering a chair to an elderly mother?
He (Rahul Gandhi) is no longer acting like the Leader of Opposition. He aspires to be a comedian—or rather, he has turned into a comedian on public platforms. He is engaging in such low-level antics and displaying such undignified behaviour.
Ajit Doval (National Security Advisor) is the son of Uttarakhand who brought pride to the entire nation. He has dedicated his entire life to India’s security—both internal and external.
“The language which has been used to describe him (NSA Ajit Doval) is appalling. I believe that not only the citizens of the country but especially the people of Uttarakhand will never forgive him (Rahul Gandhi). Making such comments is extremely hurtful.”
“Members and leaders of the Congress previously used terms akin to “street thug” to describe the late General Bipin Rawat—the first CDS—who also belonged to our state. This reveals their true mentality.”
IANS: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had alleged purification (‘shuddhikaran’) of his event venue in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani. The Opposition had accused the BJP of playing a role in it. What are your views on this matter?
CM Dhami: In Haldwani, members of the Scheduled Caste community—our artisan brothers and Valmiki brothers—performed a ‘Shuddhi Havan’ (purification ritual) because ‘jihadi’ slogans were being raised there.
Mess is created at the rallies; liquor bottles are thrown, and other forms of trash and litter are left behind.
“It was a religious site, yet it was politicised with claims of insults to individuals or castes—even though there was no such incident before or after the event, nor any press release or video evidence was available. In fact, members of the Dalit and Scheduled Caste communities themselves participated in it.”
“When the truth came to light, the Congress party was completely exposed. They have no real issues, so they fabricate them. So after a few days, they have to face embarrassment.”
IANS: The Opposition is staging protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. How do you view it?
CM Dhami: No issue was ever raised while SIR was conducted earlier in the country.
This time, fake entries are being removed, and the votes of infiltrators are being deleted. Those who have their names registered in multiple places are being brought down.
Earlier, elections were influenced through these (fake) votes. There used to be electoral malpractices and bogus voting.
Daughters who are married and have moved elsewhere, why should their votes remain on the rolls? It should be at their new location.
And for those who have passed away—why should their votes still exist? Why should votes exist for people who have moved away?
So, their (Opposition’s) modus operandi is to oppose everything, sometimes they oppose the Election Commission, sometimes EVMs, sometimes our administration or the official machinery, and at other times, they make remarks against the High Court or the Supreme Court.
–IANS
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