Congress MLA vandalizes stage at Jauljibi Mela after being denied speaking slot

Congress MLA vandalizes stage at Jauljibi Mela after being denied speaking slot

B.D. Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, Nov 14

Harish Dhami, the Congress MLA from the Dharchula assembly constituency, vandalized the inauguration stage of the 10-day Jauljibi Mela at the Indo-Nepal border town on Friday. The protest was sparked by authorities not allowing him to speak before Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who had arrived to inaugurate the fair.

“The government is corrupt and afraid of the opposition party, and the Chief Minister has no guts to listen to the truth about the prevalent corruption in the state,” alleged Dhami.

The incident occurred after the Chief Minister had departed from the venue following the inauguration.

“I am the chairperson of this mela, but despite being the chairperson, I was not given a chance to speak and put forward the demands of the local people before the CM,” charged the Congress MLA.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the 10-day, three-nation fair, which features goods from the Tibetan autonomous region of China, Nepal, and India.

“The fair also represents the history of commerce between the three countries during a bygone era and the rich cultural heritage of this borderland,” said the Chief Minister.

Shops featuring woollen goods imported from Tibet via the Indo-Tibet border trade are open this year, alongside stalls operated by Indian and Nepalese traders.

Following the incident, Congress workers mounted the stage to protest the exclusion of another local Congress MLA from the district, Mayukh Singh Mahar.

“The present government has broken all moral ethics by not inviting an elected public representative from the district,” said Mukesh Pant, the district Congress president.

Mahendra Singh Budiyal, a senior BJP leader and representative of the local MP, condemned the MLA’s actions, stating that the program schedule had been shortened due to the Chief Minister’s tight schedule, as he had to travel to Kashipur for another engagement.

“The way Dhami uttered abusive words against the Chief Minister is condemnable. The BJP views this as a sign of frustration from the MLA, as the Congress party is rapidly losing ground in the Dharchula assembly area,” said Budiyal.