Cong holds protest, demands judicial inquiry
DEHRADUN: Amid the ongoing probe in the alleged Mahakumbh fake Covid tests scam, the Uttarakhand Congress on Friday held a fast at Ganga ghat in Haridwar against the government demanding an investigation by a sitting high court judge.
Large number of Congress leaders, including party state head state president Pritam Singh, party state co-incharge Dipika Pandey, state vice president Suryakant Dhasmana and other had gathered at Subhash Ghat near Ganga in Haridwar on Friday to hold fast in a symbolic protest during which they raised slogans against the state government.
Attacking the government during the protest, Singh said, “The BJP and its government have disturbed the sanctity of the highly revered Hindu event of Mahakumbh by doing corruption in it that too at the cost of health safety of lakhs of people who came to Haridwar to attend it.”
“Considering the seriousness of the scam, the Congress has been demanding a probe by sitting judge of high court but the government is not paying any heed. Hence, we decided to hold this fast as a symbolic protest following which we would burn the effigies of government in all district headquarters on June 27,” said Singh.
He added that the Congress was “determined to expose BJP and its government before the public in whole issue”.
“In the name of probe, the state government is just doing formality to protect the accused who have clear connections with senior BJP leaders. If our demand of an investigation by a sitting judge is not met then we would intensify out protest in a phase wise manner from assembly constituency level till village level in the coming days,” said Singh.
The BJP, however, termed the Congress agitation as its “frustration”.
Party state vice-president Devendra Bhasin said, “The Congress is frustrated because
it is long ago rejected by the people of state. As far as the alleged irregularities in the Mahakumbh is concerned, probe is already on in which government has clearly said that no accused would be spared.”
Politics has heated up in Uttarakhand over fake testing during Mahakumbh in last one week or so, the Congress demanding probe under the monitoring of a sitting high court judge in the matter. The BJP has been countering by saying that Congress was just trying to politicise the issue while the reality is government is serious about the matter and has already ordered probe so that all those responsible for the fake testing could be booked.
Within BJP itself, former chief minister and current chief minister have tried to shift the blame.
The former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat while seeking an impartial investigation, in the matter, had said “it is a serious crime, not negligence. Stringent action should be taken and an impartial investigation should be conducted in this matter.
Countering this, chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat had said, “I came in March and this is an old issue. When we got information about this, we immediately instituted an inquiry into the matter. We want to bring clarity in this matter. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty.”
In the name of a probe, the state government is just doing formality to protect accused... PRITAM SINGH, Congress state president