Upadhyay objects to BJP casting doubts on Harish Rawat’s assets

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 20

Uttarakhand Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay has condemned the BJP for its statement on the assets of Chief Minister Harish Rawat declared by him recently.

In a statement issued today, Upadhyay said the Chief Minister has set an excellent example by declaring all his assets and thereby, reaffirming his pledge to give a transparent and corruption-free government.

He said the BJP governments in Uttarakhand from 2000 till 2002 and then from 2007 till 2012 were neck deep in corruption. He added the BJP was now finding it tough to explain to the public after the Chief Minister declared his assets.

He said BJP state president Teerath Singh Rawat and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt should also declare their assets publicly.

Upadhyay castigated the BJP’s opposition to the Indira Amma Bhojnalaya scheme. He said the Indira Amma Bhojnalaya scheme was meant to provide cheap food to the poor, but it seems the BJP did not want poor people to avail such benefits.

Ajay Bhatt, Teerath Rawat must declare their assets: Ambrish

Haridwar, November 20

The Congress has criticised the BJP for raising questions about the disclosure of assets and income by Chief Minister Harish Rawat earlier this week.

Chairperson of the Media Committee of the Pradesh Congress Committee Ambrish Kumar today said it was for the first time that any Chief Minister of the state had disclosed his assets, barring during the election time, publicly to give primacy to accountability and transparency among political representatives.

Ambrish Kumar said Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt and state BJP president Teerath Singh Rawat, who had cast doubts about Harish Rawat’s sources of income and that of his family members, should rather disclose their assets.

Amrbirsh alleged due to the intolerant attitude of Prime Minister Narendra Modi only ‘intolerance’ had gained momentum, as BJP ministers, parliamentarians, legislators, party office-bearers and leaders were bent upon hurting the secular structure of diversified India.

Ambrish questioned the sincerity of the BJP over Ganga cleaning and said just 40 days were left for Ardh Kumbh to be held on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar, and the Central government had not sanctioned funds for it so far. 

“Of its own resources, the Uttarakhand government has allocated Rs 350 crore for Ardh Kumbh. All five BJP parliamentarians are silent on the Ardh Kumbh budget. Millions of people arrive for a holy dip in the Ganga during Ardh Kumbh but the NDA government at the Centre is delaying the budget sanctioning, thus hurting the sentiments of people. Other cities such as Allahabad, Nasik, and Triyambakeshwar, where the Ardh Kumbh fair was held recently, were provided the Central grant,” said Ambrish.

He claimed the state government was pro-peasant and said agriculture was being given a major boost and the traditional culture was being promoted through various schemes. This showed the vision and caring nature of the Chief Minister, he added.

On the Gairsain issue, Ambrish said the Congress-led government first under Vijay Bahuguna and now under Harish Rawat had taken major decisions such as holding an Assembly session, construction of an Assembly building, a transit hostel for legislators and now the Chief Minister’s camp office at Gairsain.