Congress leader says march to Chief Minister’s residence was against attempts to weaken social harmony and suppress the Opposition
CHANDIGARH | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
Sirsa MP, former Union minister, Congress general secretary, Uttarakhand in-charge and CWC member Kumari Selja has accused the BJP of attempting to divide people in Uttarakhand along religious and caste lines, saying neither the Congress nor the people of the state would allow such efforts to damage social harmony.
Speaking to reporters after the Congress protest march and gherao of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s residence, Selja said attempts were allegedly being made to defame the people of Uttarakhand and weaken the traditional spirit of brotherhood in the state. She alleged that the BJP was repeatedly resorting to politics of division in the name of religion and caste and asserted that such a strategy would not succeed.
Selja said Congress leaders and workers marched from Parade Ground in Dehradun to the Chief Minister’s residence to protest against the BJP government. She said the protest was aimed at highlighting issues concerning democracy, social harmony and governance in the state.
Referring to developments following Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s public meeting in Haldwani, Selja alleged that the reported “purification” exercise after the meeting, the registration of an FIR against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and statements made by the BJP state president indicated that the developments were taking place under the ruling party’s oversight.
She said attempts to silence the Opposition and disturb social harmony could not be accepted in a democratic system. According to Selja, the Opposition has a constitutional role in raising issues concerning the people, and efforts to restrict that voice should be resisted.
The Congress leader also raised a number of issues concerning Uttarakhand, claiming that migration, unemployment, crime and corruption had reached serious levels. She said these issues required the government’s attention instead of political efforts to create divisions among people.
Selja also referred to reported cases involving the theft of offerings from religious places, saying such incidents had raised serious questions about the functioning of the government and the protection of religious institutions. She said the Congress would continue to raise issues affecting ordinary citizens and would seek accountability from the government.
She described Uttarakhand as a state known for its traditions of love, harmony and brotherhood. The Congress leader said attempts to divide people on the basis of religion or caste should not be allowed to succeed and appealed to people to remain united.
Selja was on a two-day visit to Uttarakhand. On the first day of her tour, she participated in the Nari Sanskar Sammelan organised by the Jain community at Shri Digambar Jain Bhawan in Dehradun. The programme provided an opportunity for interaction with members of the community and participation in a social gathering centred on women and family values.
On the second day, Selja joined the Congress protest march from Parade Ground to the Chief Minister’s residence. Congress leaders and workers participated in the demonstration, raising concerns against the state government and highlighting issues that the party said were affecting the people of Uttarakhand.
Selja said the Congress would continue to raise matters related to unemployment, migration, crime, corruption and social harmony. She maintained that the party’s responsibility was not limited to electoral politics and that it would continue to act as a voice for people on issues affecting their daily lives.
She also criticised what she described as attempts to create an atmosphere in which political disagreement was treated as hostility. In her view, a healthy democracy requires space for differing political opinions and allows the Opposition to question the government without fear or pressure.
The Congress leader said the people of Uttarakhand had a long-standing tradition of maintaining social harmony despite differences of background and belief. She asserted that political attempts to exploit such differences would ultimately be rejected by the public.
Selja further said that the state’s pressing economic and social concerns needed immediate attention. Employment opportunities for young people, control of crime, prevention of migration from the hills and action against corruption, she said, should remain among the government’s priorities.
She said Congress workers would remain engaged with the people and continue to raise their concerns through democratic means. The protest march, according to Selja, was part of that broader effort to question the government on matters of public interest.
The Congress leader reiterated that the party would not remain silent if it believed that democratic institutions or social harmony were being undermined. She called upon the people of Uttarakhand to reject divisive politics and preserve the state’s tradition of mutual respect and brotherhood.
Selja’s remarks came after the Congress demonstration in Dehradun, where the party sought to put its concerns regarding the state government’s functioning and the political atmosphere before the public.
She said Uttarakhand’s identity should remain rooted in harmony, mutual respect and collective development, rather than religious or caste-based divisions. The Congress, she added, would continue to raise people’s issues and oppose what it considers attempts to weaken the social fabric of the state.
BJP Government Responsible for Satyam Niketan Building Tragedy: Kumari Selja
Kumari Selja expressed deep grief over the collapse of a building in Delhi’s Satyam Niketan area that was being used as paying-guest accommodation by students. She said it was difficult to imagine the pain of parents who had sent their children to Delhi to pursue education with hopes of building a better future.
Praying for peace for those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery for the injured, Selja alleged that the BJP government was responsible for the tragedy. She questioned whether the authorities had learnt anything from previous incidents in Malviya Nagar and accidents involving coaching-centre basements.
Selja said the government must answer questions regarding the safety conditions of the Satyam Niketan building, the nature of work being carried out in its basement and who was responsible for monitoring the premises.
She said young people who travel to Delhi from other cities for education and employment should have access to safe accommodation. Ensuring basic safety standards for such residential facilities, she said, was a responsibility that the government and concerned authorities could not avoid.
POD/DESK
