Looking for a Fresh Change

The Uttarakhand Government has been lurching from one crisis to another. It has lost both direction and purpose

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the hilly State of Uttarakhand was eagerly anticipated by many. He did not hesitate to hurl a volley of criticisms on the Congress Government. Modi's oratory was at its best when he promised to build a twin engine of governance between New Delhi and Dehradun in order to propel the State to greater heights and mitigate the plethora of development concerns which beset Uttarakhand. After the slew of uncertain events which have buffeted the State in recent years, the BJP's prospects of wresting victory from a decrepit Government seem all the more sanguine.

Prime Minister Modi’s unequivocal commitment to lead the party to victory in the State poll early next year reverberated with the throng of people who attended his rallies. There was this palpable energy and a sense of inexplicable optimism in the hearts and minds of people. This was Modi's first address to the people of Uttarakhand after the sudden demonetisation move. His acerbic criticism of the current regime and his tangential reference to the conspicuous lack of measures taken to tackle black money since independence seemed to echo with the people. Here we had thousands of people who endured the brunt of the blow regarding demonetisation, but their abiding faith in the bold statesman was awe inspiring.

Uttarakhand relies heavily on tourism as this contributes a substantial amount to its gross domestic State product. The Chardham Highway project, which Modi inaugurated, attempts to facilitate travel between the pilgrimage spots, and this will most certainly give a fillip to the state's economy which has been saddled with debt and despair in recent years.

Three-and-a-half years may have passed since the rain gods unleashed their fury, which wreaked havoc in the hilly State, but the tragedy is still fresh in the minds of many. The relief and rehabilitation efforts have been poorly managed. Haunting images of grieving widows, the unspeakable pain and affliction, and the sight of army helicopters, braving hostile conditions, hovering the rain laden skies of Dehradun are still etched in the collective consciousness of the people here.

Why did the tragedy occur in the first place? Well, the issue of construction norms being flouted and issues related to graft have never been thoroughly investigated. The perpetrators are still at large, enjoying the clout of the privileged, indifferent to the ocean of death and destruction surrounding them, and callous about the plights of the beleaguered families.

The inefficient administration has not managed to instill confidence in people to set up industries in the mountainous regions. People are still apprehensive about the capabilities of the tarnished Government which has been accused of financial irregularities and skullduggery in their ostensible relief efforts. Graft and nepotism is prevalent in the state. In an attempt to rebrand the state as progressive and business friendly the Harish Rawat Government finally managed to inaugurate two flyovers this year in Dehradun. Needless to say that the flyovers had crossed their deadline by years and the construction efforts had caused nuisance to the common public. The denizens of Dehradun are well aware that the flyovers are a political gimmick in view of the impending election. As a result of the coming election, the dilapidated roads of the capital seem to have captured the attention of the government. The flurry of construction activity is visible but what is more astonishing is the Government's apparent noble intention — political gains masquerading as development agenda.

Earlier this year, a group of concerned residents formed the Citizen's Action Group (CAG), and petitioned the State Government to jettison its plan of acquiring the tea gardens in Dehradun for the smart city project. Had the smart city proposal been implemented in the town, the implementation again would have been woefully inefficient and tardy.

The transformation of Dehradun from a sleepy, dreamy town nestled within the serene and gargantuan mountains — a town where people valued their quality of life over anything else — to the capital of the State with crumbling infrastructure, serpentine traffic jams, haphazard and unplanned growth is disquieting. But Uttarakhand extends beyond its capital. The serene and virgin hinterlands are also in urgent need of development but the implementation of vital schemes has been lackadaisical and piecemeal. Ninety per cent of Uttarakhand is hilly terrain and encouraging industrial and agricultural activities is a policy challenge which has not been pursued strenuously. Poverty remains a concern in very remote areas.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's plea for not appearing before the CBI over the sting CD, has diminished his public image. Umpteen questions are being raised over this matter in the power corridors of Dehradun. The recent decision by the Government to allow Muslim employees of the State Government a special 90-minute lunch break on Friday fornamaz is not a new practice in the country. But the timing of the announcement is questionable. The Muslim community also understands the purpose of the move. The Congress Government made the reckless move unmindful of how this will affect the fragile seams of the social and communal fabric in the State.

A power vacuum is emerging and the BJP stands a good chance to spearhead a winning campaign and invigorate an ailing economy so that the state and its people get what they rightly deserve.

(The writer is a political commentator)

First Published in The Pioneer