Amit Shah Targets Congress, SP Ahead of Uttarakhand Foundation Day

Ahead of Uttarakhand's 26th Foundation Day, Amit Shah criticized Congress and the SP for opposing statehood. CM Dhami further attacked Rahul Gandhi, defending the government's development record and dismissing opposition claims.

Amit Shah Criticizes Opposition Parties

Ahead of Uttarakhand’s 26th Foundation Day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), accusing them of opposing the creation of the hill state and committing "atrocities" against its people during the statehood movement. Addressing an event in Dehradun, Amit Shah paid homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his role in the movement. "For years, the people of the hills struggled for the formation of Uttarakhand. However, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress—part of today's INDI alliance—committed numerous atrocities, even causing the deaths of our youth, all to prevent the state's creation," Shah said, highlighting events such as the Rampur Tiraha firing incident. Shah noted that it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee who finally fulfilled the long-standing demand by carving out Uttarakhand as India's 27th state on November 9, 2000. "On November 9, 2000, by establishing the state of Uttarakhand, Atal ji turned a long-standing demand into a reality. I pay tribute to all those who lost their lives during the long struggle for the creation of Uttarakhand, a movement that spanned many locations, including Rampur Tiraha," he said.

Vision for a Developed Uttarakhand

Outlining the BJP-led government's vision, he asserted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand is on track to become India's first fully developed state ('Viksit Uttarakhand') ahead of the national 'Viksit Bharat 2047' goal. "BJP has played a pivotal role in the creation of Uttarakhand. As we move toward Viksit Bharat, the BJP has decided to celebrate Uttarakhand’s State Foundation Day as a testament to pride, achievement and resolve. It is an achievement—the progress made toward a 'Viksit Uttarakhand' under the leadership of Modi ji and Pushkar Singh Dhami is a significant milestone, and we take great pride in this achievement. Furthermore, we pledge that as we journey toward a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, 'Devbhoomi' Uttarakhand will be the very first state to attain the status of a developed state," he said.

CM Dhami Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched a direct counter-attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over their recent protests. Dhami accused opposition forces of trying to create confusion and incite youth for political gain rather than engaging in constructive dialogue. "Through the efforts of the double-engine government, Uttarakhand is today progressing rapidly in various sectors, including connectivity, infrastructure, tourism, industry and self-employment. But unfortunately, some political forces, instead of engaging in meaningful discussions on development, are busy creating an atmosphere of confusion and confrontation. In a democracy, asking questions and expressing disagreement are everyone's rights. But provoking the youth for political interests, spreading rumours and encouraging violence cannot be accepted at any cost. When their Yuvraj insults one of our country's great sons and the pride of Uttarakhand, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval ji, their leaders maintain silence," he said.

Escalating his criticism, he said, "When their ally, Samajwadi Party leader and Rahul Gandhi's friend, Akhilesh Yadav, whose party opened fire on our unarmed protestors, calls the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators, not a single word comes out of their mouths. They remain silent. We call those who illegally enter India infiltrators, while Congress's allies call the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators. For them, the honour, dignity and self-respect of Uttarakhand have no value. Their alliance remains their first priority."

Refuting Allegations on Recruitment

Refuting Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks at a student 'Chhatron ki Goonnj' in Dehradun regarding recruitment paper leaks, Dhami called the leader's claims an "echo of lies." "Our double-engine government is working with dedication towards the development of Uttarakhand. Rahul Gandhi had come to Dehradun and held a programme called 'Chhatron Ki Goonj'. It was not the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj'; it was an echo of lies because he was lying from the stage. He said that no action had been taken in even a single case of cheating anywhere in the country. In Uttarakhand alone, we have sent more than 100 mafia members involved in facilitating cheating behind bars. In addition to this, more than 35,000 appointments have been made without any cheating, without any corruption, and without any 'parchi-kharchi'," he said.

Development Projects and State Foundation

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Shah to the state. Dhami said that on the historic occasion of the state completing 26 years of its formation, the Union Minister of Home Affairs would gift various development projects worth Rs 1,475.31 crore to Uttarakhand. He said the projects would give new momentum and direction to the state's journey of development.

Uttarakhand Foundation Day, also known as Uttarakhand Divas, is observed annually on November 9. The state was formed in the year 2000 as the 27th state of India, carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Largely a hilly state, while being located at the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, the state has international boundaries with China (Tibet) in the north and Nepal in the east. The state is known to be rich in natural resources, especially water and forests, with numerous glaciers, rivers, dense forests, and snow-clad mountain peaks. (ANI)

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