Former CM questions stone laying by Modi

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 17

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has questioned state BJP government’s logic behind inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for laying foundation for construction of Shankaracharya’s Samadhi at Kedarnath.

In a statement issued today, former Harish Rawat said his government had planned to invited all the four Shankaracharyas and other Hindu religious heads for foundation stone ceremony for the Shankaracharya’s samadhi at Kedarnath.

“Laying the foundation stone for a samadhi that too of a Shankaracharya’s at the hands of politician makes no sense and is purely a political stunt”, Rawat pointed out.

Shankaracharya’s samadhi at Kedarnath was washed away during the 2013 catastrophe and state government’s plans to reconstruct it. He also charged the state BJP government with doing little for improvement in conditions of roads along Kedarnath and Badrinath routes. He also questioned all-weather roads project envisaged by the Center for the state.

He also asserted that little efforts had been undertaken for speedy conduct of works in Rishikesh Karanprayag Railway line. He said it was interesting that while Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat has even decided on the train fare for Badrinath not even an inch of railway track has been laid so far.

Harish Rawat also asserted that several public welfare schemes started by his earlier government has been curtailed by the incumbent BJP government. He said most of these schemes are linked to social welfare department.