PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Bharatiya Janata Party said that the senior Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat is playing with caste thing and showing a false display of Brahmin love. The BJP State president and Rajya Sabha member Mahendra Bhatt warned that the Congress is trying to change the political environment in Uttarakhand after recent electoral defeats. He said that Congress leaders first encouraged appeasement then divided voters on hill and plains issues and are now attempting caste-based politics. Bhatt said that Rawat’s recent statements in the media about the Brahmin community are unfortunate and irresponsible. He said that Rawat is trying to ignite caste tensions, which could negatively affect Congress itself. Bhatt added that people trusted Rawat with many roles, including MLA, MP, CM and Union minister but instead of accepting defeat, he is trying to break society and disturb the State’s atmosphere.
Bhatt said that Rawat’s claim about Brahmins distancing themselves from Congress is an attempt to seek sympathy and mislead people. He recalled that Rawat’s relations with former CMs ND Tiwari and Vijay Bahuguna are known and said Rawat tried to destabilise governments during their tenure. Bhatt also claimed that Rawat changes his stand based on region, pointing to his remarks about Dalit and Rajput CMs in other states. Bhatt said that the Congress is engaging in politics that divides society. He accused the party of attempting appeasement during the last Assembly elections, spreading misinformation about Sanatana traditions during the Lok Sabha elections and trying to create a hill-plains divide before municipal polls but said that the public rejected these efforts. Bhatt said that the attempt to use caste strategy has also failed. He claimed that Rawat now aims to gain power through caste-based politics in Uttarakhand. He said the BJP will not allow any attempt to divide communities and disturb peace. He added that people in the State remain aware and have not supported caste-driven politics. Rawat’s latest move may become the final blow to Congress in Uttarakhand, he added.
