PrashantNews
Since February 22 when Prem Chand Agarwal issue rocked Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been facing unsavoury political remarks against his government mainly on corruption.
Faced with new political challenges especially coming from within the ruling party, Dhami has decided to silence his critics claiming that strong action would be taken against the corrupt officials. He also held a roadshow, his second in a gap of one week in Dehradun on Saturday, apparently to show his political strength.
The roadshow came two days after former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is being seen as Dhami’s political rival within the ruling BJP, raked up the illegal mining issue in the Lok Sabha and alleging it is adversely affecting environment and the security of the common people in four districts of Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital and Udhamsingh Nagar in Uttarakhand. “The illegal mining (in four districts) in the night has reached dangerous proportions not only in terms of law and order and the destruction of the environment but is also affecting the security and safety of the common man,” Rawat said in the Lok Sabha. Rawat further claimed that drunken drivers of these trucks and tractor trolleys are hands in glove with local administration officials. Many people have lost their lives due to various accidents caused by these sand laden trucks, alleged Rawat.
But much before the mining issue, Dhami had faced a political storm after his government came under attack from different quarters when BJP leader Prem Chand Agarwal had made an unparliamentary remark in the Vidhan Sabha. BJP leader Anil Baluni took umbrage of Agarwal’s remark to say that he has taken up the matter with the party high command.
Dhami faced embarrassing situation albeit politically over Agarwal’s remarks. He went to New Delhi to sort out of the issue. But Agarwal was forced to quit.
After the resignation of Agarwal, Dhami again faced embarrassment when Rawat used the illegal mining barb to attack the state government.
Buoyed with Rawat’s statement, Congress also launched stinging attacks on the Dhami government alleging that the former chief minister’s remarks on the illegal mining has once again highlight that the sand mafia was ruling the roost in the state. “We demand a white paper on the issue of illegal mining in the state,” said Suryakant Dhasmana, state vice-president of the Congress, who leaves no opportunity to attack the ruling BJP over various issues.
However, the state Mining Secretary Brijesh Sant denied the allegations made by Rawat and said the revenue from the mining sector was increasing due to transparent policies of the state government. In reply to Sant’s assertion, Rawat quipped “sher kabhi kutte ka shikar nahin karta” (A tiger never attacks a dog).
Meanwhile, Dhami has also tried to refurbish his government’s image by saying the fight against corruption would continue. He has stated that all those people whose complaints against corruption are found valid would also be rewarded.