Congress workers marched to the CM’s residence in protest against purification drive in Haldwani on September 7th, amid heavy rain. A large number of Congress leaders and workers joined the march to the CM’s residence. Police erected barricades near Hathibarkala to stop the protesters. A scuffle broke out between Congress leaders and police.
During the siege of the CM’s residence, in the presence of Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja and other senior leaders, several people joined the Congress party. Those who joined the party included Yashpal Rana, former Mayor of Roorkee, Bhuvnesh Kharkwal, former Chief of Yamkeshwar, Kotdwar, Manoj Saini, former Principal and former Chairman of the Sugarcane Committee, Haridwar, Ramkumar Walia (former Minister of State), Ravindra Anand (former Chairman of the Mandi Committee, Dehradun), and Advocate Sachin Kumar of Purola.
State in-charge Kumari Selja joined the March
State in-charge Kumari Selja alleged that the BJP government betrayed the sentiments of the people of Uttarakhand. After National President Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally, they made their own people perform purification rituals. The BJP is resorting to all kinds of tactics for the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat observed a one-hour fast at his residence in New Delhi. Harish Rawat has been in New Delhi for the past few months for health reasons. He wrote on social media, “Some unforeseen reasons and invisible forces are repeatedly creating such a situation that I am unable to muster the courage to travel to Uttarakhand. A struggle is underway in Uttarakhand against the forces that patronize untouchability and degrading casteism. To register my participation in this struggle, I will observe a one-hour fast at my Delhi residence on September 7th and pray to God to defeat the forces that perpetuate untouchability and social discrimination.”