Cong starts rally from Gen Rawat’s village

DEHRADUN: The Congress on Tuesday launched its three-day “Veer Gram Pranam Yatra” by visiting the ancestral village of the country’s first chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat in Pauri Garhwal district.

The yatra, under which party leaders will visit the villages of all martyrs hailing from the state, was launched by Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal by offering his respects to Gen Rawat at his ancestral villages Sain.

Godiyal was accompanied by local leaders, who raised patriotic slogans in favour of General Rawat while approaching his house, also met his relatives.

Speaking about the yatra, Godiyal said, “Today it was started by visiting the village of the son of Uttarakhand who made the state and country proud with his service to the nation in which he made the ultimate sacrifice. It was matter of immense pride for us to visit his village and pay respect to the immortal soul.”

“Following this, Congress members will visit the villages of all the other martyrs including freedom fighters and those who made the supreme sacrifice while maintaining law and order,” said Rawat.

He said the party district committees will be the “organiser of the events under the Yatra while members of the block committees will be the co-organisers.”

The BJP termed the yatra as a “farce”.

“It is the same party whose leader had called Gen Rawat a rowdy when he was appointed as army chief. Now when he is no more, they are putting his cutouts in their rallies and visiting his village.

“They should be ashamed of what they are doing now considering the past incidents,” said BJP state president Madan Kaushik.