Bhatt alleges conspiracy to exploit Nihang issue for Punjab elections & regional politics
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Bharatiya Janata Party has stated that the recently resolved issue involving Nihang Sikhs and locals of Uttarakhand was being exploited by some anti-social elements and political bodies for ulterior gains. However, this attempt to taint Uttarakhand’s image and disturb harmony in the State failed due to the sensibility shown by the State government and the cooperation of the locals and Sikh community, with the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage continuing unaffected. BJP State president and Rajya Sabha member Mahendra Bhatt said this while interacting with media persons on Sunday.
The Karnprayag violence which saw some Nihang Sikhs attack locals with swords on June 16 and the Nagrasu Gurudwara incident in which some Nihangs barricaded themselves in a part of the building on June 20 had elicited strong reactions from both the locals and some members of the Sikh community. A group of Nihangs also attempted to march to Karnprayag in protest. Bhatt alleged that the issue was used as an agenda for the coming Assembly elections in Punjab and to gain attention by some regional politicians. “Bothered by their consistently falling political standing in Punjab, some people were building the narrative for a major clash involving the Nihangs in Uttarakhand to create an atmosphere of polarisation in the Punjab polls. In Uttarakhand, some parties who are politically almost inconsequential were trying to drag the State into the quagmire of regionalism to regain lost political ground. Similarly, instead of playing its part of a responsible national political party in times of trouble, the Congress adopted a very irresponsible stance. Instead of cooperating to bring peace, the Congress leaders made statements simply for political gain and to further stoke the fire,” Bhatt said.
The BJP State chief claimed that the State government under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami adopted a serious and sensitive approach while acting sensibly with swiftness to prevent the situation from deteriorating. He said that the aware public of the State and responsible members of all communities showed patience and maturity which helped resolve the issue within a short duration and restore normalcy. Bhatt stressed that the BJP government will not compromise with peace, safety and harmony in the State, adding that any person violating these aspects will not be spared.
