The Pradesh Congress Committee (PPC) president Pritam Singh has claimed that the internal divisions and discontent in the party forced the National President of BJP, J P Nadda to visit the state for four days. He said that many BJP leaders have made allegations of corruption on the incumbent government which has unnerved the party.
Addressing the media persons at Rajiv Bhawan here on Monday, Singh said that Union education minister Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ had recently talked about corruption in Kumbh works, similarly the irrigation minister in Uttarakhand has said about corruption in the Suryadhar lake project. “One of the BJP MLA had brought adjournment motion in assembly alleging corruption in construction of a major road in the state. Nadda ji it is not we who are talking about corruption but it is the leaders of your own party who are raising the issue of corruption ! Large scale irregularities are reported in the setting up of the labour welfare board but the government is maintaining a stoic silence on the issue. The Chief Minister in his first press conference had talked about ‘zero tolerance on corruption’ and had assured that Lokayukt would be brought within 100 days. Almost four years of this government have been completed but Lokayukt is nowhere to be seen. The land, mining and liquor mafia are ruling the roost and the state government is neck deep in corruption. Situation is so bad that the High Court had asked the CBI to investigate charges of corruption on CM,’’ he said.
The PCC president added that during the assembly elections of 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised employment to the youth and despite claims of CM, no recruitment advertisement were released by the government and gross irregularities occurred in the examinations of forest guard. He said that a recent report by CMIE suggests that Uttarakhand has the highest unemployment rate in the country. He said that the BJP in the elections of 2017 had promised to waive off the loans of the farmers but the promise has remained unfulfilled. Singh claimed the 17 farmers have committed suicide in the state in last four years. “To rub salts on wounds of farmers, the union government has passed three draconian laws against whom farmers are on the path of agitation. They are on roads for the last 11 days but the PM has not said even a single word on the issue. The Congress party is standing firmly with the farmers and we would support the Bharat Bandh call,’’ he said.
The PCC president also asked questions from Nadda on the unfulfilled promise of ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP), increasing prices and mismanagement in dealing with the pandemic of Covid-19.
The Vice President of Uttarakhand Congress, Suryakant Dhasmana, the president of SC wing of party Rajkumar and others were present on the occasion.
Cong demands white paper on CM’s Covid fund
The Uttarakhand Congress has demanded that the state government should bring out a white paper on the status of chief minister’s Covid-19 fund. The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Pritam Singh said that the state has failed miserably in dealing with the pandemic of Covid-19 and the state government should inform about the money received in the Covid- 19 fund.
Tuesday, 08 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
