Dehradun, September 27 (Daily Kiran) : Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, has responded to allegations from the BJP regarding recruitment scandals. He emphasized that during his administration, the Subordinate Services Selection Commission was established, and the government took corrective actions for any mistakes made in appointments. Rawat also raised concerns about inflation, unemployment, and the Special Intensive Review (SIR), questioning both the BJP and the Election Commission.
He acknowledged that there were errors in judgment regarding appointments and stated that the previous government had taken responsibility and apologized to the public. “We appointed the wrong person as chairman, who caused the issues. We demanded his resignation and set up an SIT along with a three-member inquiry committee,” Rawat explained.
This committee, led by the Additional Chief Secretary, included the IG of Personnel and the Additional Secretary of Law. Rawat noted that after serious irregularities were discovered in examinations, it was the former government that acted swiftly to annul them.
Rawat criticized the BJP for now blaming his government and the former Chief Minister for these issues. He clarified that he was leading the government as a Congress chief and not personally. He challenged the BJP, stating, “You called us out, and we have come. Let’s see how we match up against you.”
Despite doctors advising him to remain in Delhi for health reasons, Rawat returned to the political arena due to the BJP’s accusations. He also addressed the rising costs of living, stating that many families struggle to pay school fees and medical expenses, while youth face a lack of adequate employment opportunities.
He pointed out that while the government promotes a vision of a developed India by 2047, the realities of unemployment and inflation make life challenging for the average citizen. Rawat highlighted that even those who find jobs often earn insufficient income to support their families adequately, and he questioned the increasing costs of healthcare.
On the topic of the SIR, Rawat accused the Election Commission of misusing the process to disenfranchise voters. He claimed that such processes had been in place before without raising similar concerns.
He scrutinized the role of the Chief Election Commissioner, asserting that objections regarding the commission’s operations remain unaddressed. Supporting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s concerns about the electoral process, Rawat insisted that the issues related to the Election Commission are serious and warrant thorough examination.
Rawat also attacked Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, alleging that BJP-ruled states’ chief ministers are holding press conferences in support of the Election Commission under central leadership directives. He claimed that the central government is under pressure concerning Election Commission-related issues, which is why BJP chief ministers are frequently commenting on the matter.
In response to corruption allegations against Congress, Rawat countered by referencing past scandals involving the BJP, such as Bofors, coal, and Commonwealth Games cases, dismissing the BJP’s claims as baseless. He further mocked the BJP by mentioning the Adarsh Housing case and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, pointing out that leaders linked to the old cases that the BJP criticizes are now part of their party.
Rawat concluded by asserting that Congress will politically counter the allegations made by the BJP and continue to raise issues of inflation, unemployment, and electoral processes among the public.
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