Questions raised over failure of Uttarakhand government in maintaining law and order during Nagrasu standoff
Questions raised over failure of Uttarakhand government in maintaining law and order during Nagrasu standoff
Srinagar Garhwal, June 27
A public meeting was organized by concerned citizens, social activists, and political leaders to protest the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in Uttarakhand. The meeting was convened in response to the recent four-day standoff at the Damdama Sahib Gurudwara in Nagrasu (Rudraprayag district). The protestors said that the incident has exposed a serious failure on the part of the state government and the police administration. Various speakers highlighted administrative failure and chaos along the pilgrimage route.
Prominent citizens and social activists from across the state expressed deep concern over the rising lawlessness and the disorder prevailing, particularly along the crucial Char Dham Yatra route.
Prabhakar Babulkar ,a former university president and statehood movement activist strongly condemned the ruling BJP government’s handling of the Nagrasu incident. He alleged that the administration gave a free hand to the miscreants who created a ruckus at the Gurudwara. He pointed out the complete lack of infrastructure, management, and amenities along the pilgrimage route, which is leading to daily chaos. Babulkar stated, “This government has proven to be a complete failure on every front.”
Saraswati Devi, a women activist warned against malicious attempts to polarize the state. She emphasized that what should have been a straightforward law-and-order issue stemming from a local dispute was deliberately given a divisive communal color—portrayed as “Punjabi versus Uttarakhandi”—thereby threatening long-standing social harmony.
Dr. Mukesh Semwal sharply criticized the political implications of this crisis. He alleged that the dispute was manufactured to garner political support for the upcoming elections in Punjab, with certain social media influencers acting as tools to divide the public. Dr. Semwal further stated that while the state government is busy patting itself on the back for the record-breaking numbers during the Yatra, it is completely turning a blind eye to the large-scale irregularities and systemic mismanagement occurring on the ground.
Bharat Singh Aswal and Digambar Singh raised serious questions regarding the functioning of the local police administration. They described the Uttarakhand Police’s treatment of the local hill population as “highly unfortunate and biased.”
The public meeting witnessed a significant turnout of senior social activists, intellectuals, and citizens dedicated to maintaining peace in the state. Prominent participants included Anil Swamiji, Anil Tiwari, Prithvi Bisht, Rawat Madam, Tanmay, Shambhu, and Ashok.
The meeting concluded with a unanimous demand for accountability from the BJP government led by Pushkar Singh Dhami. The speakers warned that if immediate steps were not taken to improve security arrangements along the Yatra route and ensure impartial law and order, the public would be compelled to start a state-wide agitation.
