Uttarakhand will lose if rebels win, says Harish Rawat

As in 2002, a Congress win in 2019 will begin with a victory in Uttarakhand, says Harish Rawat

January 13, 2017 11:24 pm | Updated January 14, 2017 01:59 am IST

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Having survived the political crisis sparked by the ‘rebellion’ of 10 Congress MLAs last year, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat tells Kavita Upadhyay that he has worked under very difficult circumstances over the past two years to help the State recover from the devastating 2013 floods.

What do you have to say about the 10 MLAs who rebelled against you, last year, and joined the BJP?

I have no malice against anyone, but the truth is that if the 10 turncoats win, then Uttarakhand will lose. Their victory would mean instability for Uttarakhand politics for the next five to 10 years. If they win, it would mean that the public accepts the kind of politicians who, if they are unhappy with the functioning of their party, rebel against it and join some other party, even if this leads to the imposition of President’s Rule.

However, if they lose, then Uttarakhand will win. Hence, it is imperative that they must lose. I think the people of Uttarakhand also understand this.

Is the pre-poll situation in Uttarakhand a repeat of what it was during the President’s Rule? Does it continue to be Harish Rawat versus the BJP’s central leadership?

It is the BJP and not the Congress that practices the politics of personal animosity. Our struggle is only towards achieving a better Uttarakhand.

The BJP has been raising allegations that your government was playing into the hands of sand mining, liquor and land mafia. You are also under the CBI scanner for an alleged case of horse-trading of MLAs.

All the allegations of corruption being raised against me are false and baseless. In fact, the people who were involved in all the corrupt activities of illegal sand mining, etc, are [the turncoats, who are now] in the BJP.

As the Uttarakhand Chief Minister for the past two years, did you get enough time to accomplish your goals for the State?

No. I had to work under extremely difficult circumstances. When I took the oath of office of Chief Minister in February, 2014, I had the task of getting the State out of the 2013 disaster [Torrential rains in June 2013 set off landslides and floods in the State, killing at least 5,000 persons including tourists].

Later, in March, 2016, I had to battle the political instability that had risen due to the imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand. If the people of Uttarakhand want to see my true potential, then they must give me five more years.

How did the Congress perform in the current term [March 2012- January 2017]?

I can only speak about my [two-year] term…. People had only one expectation from us — that we help the State recuperate from the impact of the June 2013 disaster... and we managed the task well.

How important is it for the Congress to win the polls in Uttarakhand?

For the sustenance of democracy, it is important that the Congress must win…. In the year 2002, the Congress’ revival at the Centre had begun with its victory in Uttarakhand.

This time too, the party’s path to victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls will begin with our victory in Uttarakhand.

What are the issues that the Congress will focus on during the poll campaign?

Our poll campaign is around the theme of development — Satat Vikas ka Sankalp (a promise towards sustainable development). While our fight is also for protecting democracy, which the BJP tried to murder last year, the main issue for the Congress has always been that of development.

In the past few months while the BJP organised several election rallies addressed by central leaders, the Congress has organised only one Rahul Gandhi rally. Why is that?

Our workers are striving hard. Besides, I have faith in my work and I have faith in the people of my State. They [the people] are with me, I believe.

Were you sitting on fast in New Delhi, on January 5, to protest against the Bhagirathi Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) notification, or for hydropower projects to come up in the Bhagirathi Valley?

A very wrong impression is being created that I was on fast for hydropower projects. The protest was against the Centre’s injustice towards Uttarakhand. We had submitted a Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) to the Centre so that few developmental activities, which the Centre has allowed in the ESZ notifications of States including Himachal Pradesh, can progress in the Bhagirathi Valley too. However, the Centre rejected our ZMP outright. The protest was to ask the Centre to reconsider the ZMP so that developmental activities can take place in the Valley.

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