Villages’ inclusion in MC: Cong workers stage protest

Dehradun, November 17

Uttarakhand Congress has taken to streets resenting recent state BJP government’s decision to include a large number of villages in the state within jurisdiction of municipalities and municipal corporations. Protests were held at various places across the state, including capital Dehradun.

Congress workers in Dehradun led by former Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Leader of Opposition in the state Dr Indira Hridyesh today staged demonstration at Ashley Hall Chowk and set ablaze the effigy of state BJP government terming the decision as anti-people.

Addressing the gathering, Hridyesh asserted that the state government was trying to force its opinion on people and has included a large number of village areas across the state in municipalities and Municipal Corporations despite large-scale opposition by village representatives. Former minister Dinesh Agarwal and former MLA Rajkumar were prominent among the protesters.

Similarly, protest was held at Doiwala, where Congress workers demanded immediate withdrawal of notification that has included several of gram sabhas in the municipalities and municipal corporations. Similar protests were held at Uttarkashi, where Congress workers took out a protest rally against the state government and staged dharna at the district headquarters. 

Those opposing including of villages in municipal areas argue that such decision will prove counter production for them. They said while farmers get seed, fertilisers and other agriculture equipments from village blocks at subsidised rates would not get the same after their villages are included in municipal areas. Further, they will have to pay house taxes now being part of the municipal areas. — TNS