DEHRADUN: BJP MLA from Uttarakhand's Lansdowne, Mahant Dilip Rawat, criticised the location of the Bhararisain (Gairsain) Assembly building, sparking controversy as the state's Budget session has been scheduled to be held there from March 9 to March 13.
In a statement that has since gone viral, the three-time legislator questioned the site selection for the Vidhan Sabha, claiming the high-altitude location lacks basic survival conditions.
"The assembly building has been constructed at the wrong site. There is a severe lack of oxygen and the cold is unbearable," Rawat stated.
He argued that the area is prone to heavy snowfall and extreme weather, making it nearly impossible for legislators and staff to function effectively.
The Congress was quick to hit back, alleging that the BJP has no real intention of establishing a functional capital in the hills.
While Gairsain has been declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand, the opposition maintains that the government has failed to develop even the most basic infrastructure in the region.
"It is clear that BJP leaders do not want to serve the people of the mountains. This is just an excuse to avoid the summer capital," a Congress spokesperson remarked.
Reacting to the BJP MLA's statement, State Congress Spokesperson Mohan Kala told TNIE, "The BJP has never been serious about making Gairsain the permanent capital." He added that the recent remarks made by BJP MLA Dilip Rawat have effectively unmasked the ruling party's true intentions.
"By distancing itself from Gairsain, the BJP is not only striking a blow to the sentiments of the people of the hills but is also insulting the martyrs of the statehood movement who nurtured the foundation of this province with their blood," Kala remarked.
This is not the first time the Gairsain venue has faced resistance. In 2024, several MLAs from both the treasury and opposition benches petitioned Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to shift the session to Dehradun, citing "unfavorable weather." The government eventually relented, holding the 2024 and 2025 sessions in the plains.
Adding to the government’s hurdles, the Uttarakhand Secretariat Association has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary. The association has requested a significant reduction in the number of nodal officers and staff sent to Gairsain, citing a lack of adequate lodging and facilities at the remote site.
With a senior ruling party MLA now leading the chorus of dissent, the Dhami government faces a tough challenge in balancing political symbolism with the logistical realities of the Himalayan terrain.