Wednesday, 18 August 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
Tries to appease Hindus by spiritual capital promise; Kotyhiyal’s face to attract armed forces veterans
By proclaiming that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would make Uttarakhand the spiritual capital of world for Hindus if it comes to the power in the state and by projecting Col (Retd) Ajay Kothiyal as its Chief Ministerial face the AAP’s national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has played the Hindu card and at the same time tried to woo the vote bank of the ex-servicemen in Uttarakhand.
The declaration of the Kejriwal on Hindu spiritual capital is interesting since the AAP has often been accused by the BJP and other Hindu organisations for engaging in Muslim appeasement. In Uttarakhand the Hindu voters are in overwhelming majority and the state has the shrines of the Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri popular among the Hindus as Char Dham. Understanding the importance of the Hindu votes the opposition Congress too is assertive on Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board and has declared that it would scrap the board as it is antagonistic to the traditions and interests of the Teerth Purohits of the Char Dham. It is learnt that the AAP’s central leadership was concerned on the feedback from Uttarakhand where the party was being considered as the Pro Muslim organisation. The gruesome murder of Uttarkashi resident Dilbar Singh Negi in the Delhi riots last year also is an issue here.
Political commentator Suren Rawat said that the AAP wants to shed the image of a pro Muslim party and the declaration of the Kejriwal to make Uttarakhand a spiritual centre of Hindus is an attempt in this direction.
On Tuesday, Kejriwal also publicly acknowledged that Kothiyal would be the CM face in Uttarakhand. The AAP wants to cash on the image of Kothiyal who is known for his contribution in Kedarnath reconstruction works and his efforts to train youngsters for recruitment in the armed forces of the country. The party believes that Kothiyal’s projection would also attract the ex servicemen voters in the elections. A rough estimate put the number of armed forces veterans and Veer Naris (widows of armed forces personnel) at 1.70 lakhs similarly the state is home to about thirty thousand retired paramilitary forces personnel. Similarly an estimated 1.50 lakh personnel belonging to the state are serving in different wings of armed forces of the country.
