Transporter’s suicide: Cong gives Rs 7.25 lakh aid to widow

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service 

Dehradun, February 21

In a show of solidarity with family members of deceased transporter Prakash Pandey, who committed suicide in front of state BJP headquarters in Dehradun some time back, Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh today handed over an amount of Rs 7.25 lakh as financial aid to his widow Kamla Pandey.  

Alleging that he was suffering huge losses due to demonetisation and GST, Kumaon-based transporter Prakash Pandey had consumed pesticide in front of state BJP headquarters at Balbir road during a Janata Durbar programme of Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal. The incident had resulted in a furore with Congress in the state launching full throttle attack on ruling BJP holding the party responsible for business losses of the traders. 

Congress leaders led by Indira Hridayesh, who is also MLA from Haldwani, today reached the Buddha Park in Haldwani, where family members of deceased transporter Prakash Pandey have been staging dharna for the past few days and handed over an amount of Rs 7.25 lakh. Congress leaders also requested the family to end their dharna. Hridayesh assured more assistance to the Pandey family in the days to come and helping one of the family members get job in private sector. She also took opportunity to strongly criticise the ruling BJP of doing little to help the family.

Significantly, some of BJP leaders from Kumaon division had promised financial assistance to late Prakash Pandey’s family and had assured to take up the matter with the state government. But the leaders took a U-turn due to the policy matter that prohibits providing any government assistance to the affected family in suicide cases. Bowing to public pressure even Nainital district authorities had assured compensation  at the time of cremation.  

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Transporters Welfare Association has yet again sought adequate assistance to deceased transporter Prakash Pandey’s family.

Victim had consumed pesticides in front of BJP office

Alleging that he was suffering huge losses due to demonetisation and GST, Kumaon-based transporter Prakash Pandey had consumed pesticide in front of state BJP headquarters at Balbir road during a Janata Durbar programme of Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal. The incident had resulted in a furore with Congress in the state launching full throttle attack on ruling BJP holding the party responsible for business losses of the traders.