The coming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kedarnath on October 20 has stirred the politics at Kedar valley and political leaders have also become super active along with the administration that is on its toes to make the visit a success.
Toeing the line, Harish Rawat, former chief minister, also reached Kedarnath on Sunday and stood in a queue with the common man to pay the obeisance to Kedar Baba.
Talking to Teerth Purohits (priests) and people at Kedarnath, Rawat said instead of laying foundation stones for small projects, the prime minister should release the rest of the ₹7000 crore of Disaster Package sanctioned by the UPA government, of which only ₹2300 crore have been released so far.
Kedarnath shrine has the possibility to become one of the best pilgrimage destinations in the world but it needs money to translate possibilities into reality and the central government is so far apathetic about it, he said.
In his address to the public and party workers at Guptkashi and Agastyamuni, Rawat said the so-called double engine of the BJP is stranded at Dehradun and making only noise without any movement.
The double engine is not able to climb up the hills and all the development projects are grinding to a halt and the condition of road from Agastyamuni to Gaurikund, the last motor head on route to Kedarnth shrine is also deplorable, said Rawat and also reminded the people that the much advertised all weather roads are nothing but a new name for the network of Chardham roads, initiated by his Congress government.
{{/usCountry}}The double engine is not able to climb up the hills and all the development projects are grinding to a halt and the condition of road from Agastyamuni to Gaurikund, the last motor head on route to Kedarnth shrine is also deplorable, said Rawat and also reminded the people that the much advertised all weather roads are nothing but a new name for the network of Chardham roads, initiated by his Congress government.
{{/usCountry}}Talking to HT over phone, Rawat said the foundation stone for the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line project was laid in 2012 during his government but it did not proceed an inch in more than 3 years of the Modi government.
It is also a false hope shown to the people of Uttarakhand like the promise of 2 crore of employment opportunities, given to the nation, Rawat said, adding that he has geared up once again to come back to his people to lend voice to their aspirations.