Congress targets PM Modi ahead of visit to Uttarakhand

The Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his visit to Uttarakhand today, where he is scheduled to address a rally in Rudrapur as part of his Lok Sabha campaign.

The Congress General Secretary in Charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that the state has been plagued by “rampant” unemployment, and a “deteriorating” law and order situation in recent years.

In a long series of posts on his social media platform X, he said, “Today, PM Modi is visiting the city of Rudrapur in Uttarakhand, a state that has been plagued by rampant unemployment, unprecedented out-migration, crumbling infrastructure, and a deteriorating law and order situation in recent years.

Ramesh expressed hope that the PM will take this opportunity to address three key questions “about why his government has failed” to make any meaningful improvements in the state.

He claimed that the BJP government has been “disappointingly ineffective” in addressing Uttarakhand’s biggest challenges of unemployment and migration.

He asked,”The BJP government has been disappointingly ineffective in addressing Uttarakhand’s biggest challenges of unemployment and migration. In 2021, an RTI revealed that 5 lakh people have migrated out of the state in the last 10 years – and the rate of migration is only increasing. National Statistical Office (NSO) data from 2020 shows alarmingly high rates of unemployment, with nearly one third of Uttarakhand’s urban youth being unemployed….What is PM Modi’s government doing to stem this mass exodus from the state, to solve the pressing unemployment crisis, or at the least to end this constant stream of paper leaks?”

The Congress leader said that it has been more than 18 months since Ankita Bhandari was assaulted and brutally murdered at the Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh.

“The Chief Minister has repeatedly expressed support for Ankita’s family, and stated that his government is doing “everything in their power” to support the investigation. Yet, last month, a journalist was arrested on a trumped-up charge because he dared to highlight the government’s willful negligence in this matter. What is the PM doing to ensure that Ankita’s family gets justice? Will BJP leaders face any consequences for obstructing justice,” he questioned in his post.

“PM Modi touts his government’s infrastructure build-out as a key achievement. Nowhere is this refrain more unconvincing than in Uttarakhand, which has seen multiple disasters in recent years due to haphazard, irresponsible, and corrupt infrastructure development. The town of Joshimath began “sinking” rapidly in January 2023. Less than a week before massive cracks appeared in the ground, a delegation of residents had tried in vain to raise the issue with the BJP’s Chief Minister, who dismissed their fears as unfounded. This is just one of many hill towns that is at risk because the government has ignored its own experts’ advice and warnings in their rush to award contracts to builders” the Congress leader posted.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami said that the state is all ready to welcome the PM and assured that the state would see a clean sweep for the BJP in the LS polls.

“Respected Prime Minister, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is ready to welcome you, all the people of the state have resolved to achieve the target of crossing 400 seats by winning all the five seats of the state with huge vote margins. Uttarakhand is once again ready to write new chapters of development in your third term,” he posted on X.