Demand for Uttarakhand Bill raises head as session nears

The Congress, led by its UP chief Salman Khursheed, has held demonstrations in the region last month in protest against the delay in the formation of Uttarakhand. Senior BJP leaders, however, remain confident. Bhuvan Chand Khanduri, MP from Pauri Garhwal, expressed confidence that the Bill would be placed in Parliament during the monsoon session beginning later this month.

The Centre8217;s failure to bring the Bill on the last day of the Budget session had inflamed passions in the hills, much to the chagrin of local BJP leaders. Most legislators and MPs from the region had called upon senior party leaders in Delhi and expressed their displeasure over the delay. They were assured by the party8217;s leadership that the Bill would be placed in Parliament in the next session. Suryakant Dhasmana, national vice-president of the Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha said the BJP had tried to scuttle the formation of the state by raising controversial matters through its allies.

Opposition parties are skeptical about the fate of the Bill, which contains many contentious issues like the inclusion of Hardwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts in the proposed state. Sources say the proposed Bill only includes the Kumbh Mela area of Hardwar in the proposed new state.