Dehradun, Oct 28 Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal on Wednesday said Gairsain would be declared the permanent capital of the state if the party formed the government.
Targeting the BJP government over the Assembly session in Gairsain, Godiyal said the House was adjourned sine die before completing even a full day of proceedings, raising questions about the government’s commitment to the sentiments of the people and the town’s development as the summer capital.
The two-day Assembly session concluded on Wednesday, with the House adjourned sine die by 1 pm. A supplementary budget of Rs 7,844.18 crore and nine bills were passed without discussion, the Congress alleged.
On Tuesday, the state government had said it was the first time that two Assembly sessions had been held in Gairsain in a single year, expanding the town’s role as the summer capital.
Godiyal said the existing infrastructure in Gairsain, including the Assembly building, had been established under a previous Congress government. He said Assembly sessions there should give legislators sufficient time to raise issues concerning their constituencies and hold the government accountable to the public.
“What was the purpose of holding an Assembly session in Gairsain if no sufficient time was provided to discuss the pressing issues faced by the public? Our MLAs wanted answers from the government regarding the Ankita Bhandari murder case, rampant corruption in the state, unemployment and other issues affecting the common people. However, the opposition’s demand for a discussion on these matters was rejected,” Godiyal said.
He questioned the government’s intentions, asking whether it was deliberately avoiding scrutiny on serious issues.
The Congress leader also criticised the government for moving ministers and officials to Gairsain for the session, only to return to Dehradun within a few hours, calling it a misuse of public money and taxpayers’ funds.
“If the session was to be limited to just a few hours, it could have easily been held in Dehradun. The true objective of a session in Gairsain should not be merely to fulfil a formality, but to engage in a serious discussion on the problems faced by the people of the state and to hold the government accountable,” he said.
Describing Gairsain as a symbol of the people’s sentiments, struggles and aspirations associated with the Uttarakhand statehood movement, Godiyal said its significance could be upheld only by holding regular Assembly sessions of sufficient duration to facilitate meaningful discussions on issues of public interest.
(PTI News)
