DEHRADUN: Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Joshimath’s disaster-hit areas in Uttarakhand next month and interacting with the affected people. State Congress leaders, who were in Jammu to take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s 130th day, said they dedicated the day to the disaster of Joshimath. State party chief Karan Mahara said top party leaders party participating in the yatra have voiced their concern about the damage caused by land submergence in Joshimath.
During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul has called upon everyone to walk together to save Joshimath. “As a Himalayan state, we also have to protect the environment. We have to take care of the interests of the people,” he said.
“The government should immediately rehabilitate and compensate so that the lives of those affected can move forward,” he said. Soon after the party’s announcement of the visit, the BJP described Rahul’s proposed yatra as a “double character” of the Congress.
“We do not object to Rahul Gandhi coming to Uttarakhand, but he should not say that the BJP is destroying Uttarakhand,” said state BJP spokesperson Sunita Vidyarthi. “The BJP has worked to build on the same foundation that the Congress had laid,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya told this paper that the Yatra was against party politics and those who were spreading hatred in the country. “If the government’s intention is clear then they should not object to Rahul’s visit to Uttarakhand,” said Arya.
“The government has made a big mistake by suppressing the report of ‘Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),” said Arya. Bhuvan Kapri, deputy Congress leader of the opposition in the Assembly, said even when the disaster hit Kedarnath, people in the country were scared to come to Kedarnath. At that time too, Rahul came there and sent out a message that Kedarnath was safe.”
“There are many Joshimath-like areas that will come up in time. The government is not realizing the seriousness of the situation,” said Kapri. On the other hand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said confusion was being spread about Joshimath. “Most shops are open and essential works are going on normally. The NDRF and SDRF teams are deployed to help the affected,” he said.
Bharat Jodo Yatra is a failure, says BJP
With Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra set to enter Kashmir Valley on January 27, the BJP has termed the yatra a “failure” and saying public has shown no enthusiasm towards the yatra. The DAP of Ghulam Nab Azad claimed that Congress leaders are begging for crowds from other parties. People are showing no enthusiasm, senior J&K BJP leader and former Dy CM Kavinder Gupta.