Uttarakhand: Congress MLA accuses govt of communal polarisation moves for polls, BJP denies

Congress MLA from Manglore in Haridwar district, Qazi Mohd Nizamuddin, termed the government moves as an attempt to cover up its failures on basic public issues.

“The BJP government failed to deliver in five years and to hide it failures, it is making an attempts of communal polarization in elections by raising such issues,” he said. “Instead of speaking about migration of people from villages in hills, they are talking about another migration [of Hindus].” He said he never saw any communal violence in his constituency, which as 38 per cent Muslim population.

When asked about forced land deals and migration due to fear, DGP Ashok Kumar said he has not received any such complaint yet. “SPs in the districts have been directed to follow the orders of the Home Department,” the DGP said, referring to last week’s order for constitution of district-level committees to check any such instance.

Denying the allegations, BJP spokesperson Shadab Shams said: “BJP is not trying any polarization.”

On the “forced migration” issue, he said, “The Congress itself started this debate by demanding a strict land law and alleging that people from other states were buying properties in Uttarakhand and disturbing it local culture. When another person too wrote to the government about it, the state government decided to check who are these people coming here and purchasing properties. This move is not against any particular community… The BJP will contest the elections by highlighting its development works.”

He was referring to BJP leader Ajendra Ajay’s letter to the Chief Minister demanding to notify the hill areas in the state as special zone, and bring in special provisions for sale and purchase of land to maintain its “sanctity, spiritual and cultural shape”.

Justifying his request, Ajay told The Indian Express, “In border areas where Hindus become minority population – from North-East to J&K – separatism, terrorism and anti-national activities increase. That is one of the concerns.”