DEHRADUN: Launching a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Wednesday accused the party of repeatedly invoking the “Muslim University” issue as a communal plank whenever elections approach.
Rawat, who was received by MLA Sumit Hridayesh and other Congress workers in Haldwani, dismissed the BJP’s allegations regarding land allocation for a proposed Muslim University as baseless.
“The BJP should wear the ‘Muslim University’ issue like a talisman (tabeez) around their necks, as it was this very narrative that brought them to power in 2022,” Rawat said sarcastically. He added that for the 2027 Assembly elections, the party might as well begin chanting “Tabeez-e-Namo”, as it has no tangible developmental achievements to showcase.
The veteran Congress leader clarified that the majority of plot owners in the Dehradun area under scrutiny are Hindus. He stressed that any land allotted by previous governments was granted strictly in accordance with legal procedures and for educational purposes.
Moving beyond the controversy, Rawat expressed concern over what he described as a deteriorating law and order situation in the state. He alleged that Dehradun has witnessed a rise in serious crimes, including murders and crimes against women.
“Law and order have completely collapsed. The police have abandoned their primary responsibility of ensuring public safety and are instead engaged in other activities. People are living under a shadow of fear,” he said.
In Dehradun, senior Congress leader and former Cabinet minister Pritam Singh voiced strong support for Rawat. He countered the BJP’s claims by stating that land leases for educational institutions have been standard government practice since 2002.
Singh also accused the state government of irregularities in land transactions. “While they target Harish Rawat, this government has sold land in Dakpathar for a pittance. The multi-crore property at George Everest in Mussoorie has also been handed over at throwaway prices,” he alleged.
The Congress leadership maintained that the BJP is reviving old controversies due to a lack of substantive issues ahead of forthcoming electoral contests.