Congress demands apology from Modi on Uttarakhand

It also sought an apology from BJP president Amit Shah for “trampling” democracy and “murdering” constitution. Signalling a stormy start to the second half of the Budget Session on Monday, Congress gave a notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari seeking passage of a resolution condemning the Modi government for “destabilisation” of the Uttarakhand government and imposition of President’s rule in the state.  

The Centre is likely to move the Supreme Court “at the earliest” to challenge the Uttarakhand High Court’s order quashing the proclamation of President’s rule in the state and revival of the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat. 

Meanwhile AICC In-charge Communications Randeep Singh Surjewala said the verdict is a slap on face of BJP for trying to dislodge an elected government. Terming the court’s verdict as a victory of people of Uttarakhand, democracy and constitutional norms, AICC said Modi and Amit Shah should now tender an unconditional apology to the nation and also to people of Uttarakhand from this “decisive and resounding verdict”. He also said this was a slap on the face of those in BJP who sought to dislodge an elected government, elected with the mandate of people in Uttarakhand. 

Putting up a brave front, BJP claimed the Harish Rawat government in Uttarakhand is in minority and that this will be proved on April 29. The kind of observations the state High Court has been making for last three days, we are not surprised by its order, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said. Union Minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju said that blaming the central government for something which was a creation of the Congress is “unfortunate”. He also said it was Congress’ creation, not BJP’s. 

In Dehradun, an upbeat Rawat all set to get back to office, said his government does not want to fight with the “Mighty, powerful and broad-chested” Centre, but asked it to work in a spirit of cooperative federalism. Asking the Modi government to forget the recent developments and cooperate, Rawat said he has also asked his colleagues to let go off the bitterness and work together to take the state forward on the path of development. Left parties lambasted the Modi government, with CPI (M) General secretary Sitaram Yechury saying the high court verdict was a “slap to the subverters” of the Constitution.