Thursday, 17 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand Congress has alleged that the State government is demolishing the residences and shops of Teerth Purohits in Badrinath in the name of the master plan. Addressing the media persons here on Wednesday, the Vice president of State Congress Mathura Dutt Joshi and chief spokesperson Garima Dasauni claimed that the houses and shops of the Purohits and shopkeepers who have been residing in Badrinath from generations are being demolished without giving prior notices. Joshi said that the State government should have taken the shopkeepers and residents into confidence if it needed land for the master plan. He added that the administration should have given proper compensation to the affected families. Joshi said that the party which does politics in the name of religion has hit the flag bearers of the religion and has created a situation of crisis for them. He added that the government should have first rehabilitated the Teerth purohits.
Dasauni said that pseudo Hinduism of BJP has got exposed in Badrinath. She said that 75 shops and 50 houses in Narayanpuri of Badrinath have been demolished. “The government has no policy of rehabilitation of the affected families and it has given no compensation. In such a situation the Teerth Purohit Samaj and Vyapar Sabha master plan sangharsh samiti are holding relay hunger strike in Badrinath and a fast unto death has started from August 14 but the Dhami government has maintained an apathetic attitude,’’ she said.
Dasauni said that the Sangharsh Samiti has submitted a 11 point demand letter and has told the Dhami government to take a decision on it. She added that the administration demolished the houses and shops in Badrinath in the month of February March as it wanted to take advantage of absence of people in Badrinath when the shrine is closed during winters.
