Dehradun, August 29: Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal has responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of caste discrimination. He accused the Congress party of attempting to revive its political fortunes by stirring caste issues and creating social unrest. Uniyal stated that there is no discrimination against Scheduled Castes in Uttarakhand, emphasizing the region’s strong tradition of social harmony.
Unial criticized Gandhi for repeatedly trying to incite the nation by discussing casteism. He referenced a recent controversy at Ramleela Maidan in Haldwani, noting that previous meetings and gatherings had included Scheduled Caste leaders. He clarified that the dispute was not based on caste but was related to opposition against slogans associated with a particular religion. He asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its workers had no involvement in the matter.
In response to Gandhi’s questions regarding the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Uniyal challenged the Congress party to explain why it had not done enough for their upliftment despite being in power for an extended period. He highlighted various government schemes, including free grain, the Ujjwala scheme, and the Har Ghar Nal-Har Ghar Jal initiative, which do not discriminate based on caste or class. These programs benefit all citizens equally.
Unial alleged that Congress’s traditional voter base has drifted away, prompting the party to politically exploit caste issues to regain support. He noted that a significant portion of the Scheduled Caste and Muslim communities had historically aligned with Congress but have since chosen alternative political leadership. He cited leaders like Mayawati and Ram Vilas Paswan as examples of why various social groups have distanced themselves from Congress. He warned that the party’s efforts to regain lost political ground by promoting caste tensions could harm both society and the nation.
When questioned about the government’s measures to prevent discrimination against Scheduled Castes in Uttarakhand, Uniyal asserted that such discrimination does not exist in the state. He pointed out the longstanding social and familial relationships between Scheduled Castes and other communities in the mountains and villages. He claimed that in rural areas, people often refer to elder Scheduled Caste individuals as “Chacha,” “Dada,” or “Bhai,” indicating strong social ties. The state government is running several welfare schemes for Scheduled Castes and is considering introducing new initiatives.
Regarding Gandhi’s accusations of discrimination in education, water access, and marriage, Uniyal remarked that while individuals in society may behave differently, it is inappropriate to generalize the actions of one person to an entire political party or community. He emphasized that if an individual’s intentions are wrong or discriminatory, actions should be taken against that individual, rather than labeling all of Uttarakhand as a discriminatory state.
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