Uttarakhand Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Premchand Agarwal resigned, ‘pahadi’ and ‘desi’ comments became the reason
Uttarakhand Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Premchand Aggarwal resigned on Sunday. His resignation comes weeks after his controversial speech during the budget session. In this speech, he criticized the hill people. He said that the state is not just for the hills. The opposition accused the BJP of neglecting and insulting the hill residents. After this the state government came on the back foot. According to an official statement, Aggarwal submitted his resignation at the residence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Premchand Aggarwal had reacted angrily to a comment by Congress MLA Madan Bisht during the budget session in February. He had said that he had not fought for the state of Uttarakhand so that there would be discrimination between ‘Pahadi’ and ‘Desi’. Aggarwal also used an objectionable word during a debate with opposition MLAs. His remarks had angered the people, especially those from the hilly areas of the state.
The minister had expressed regret over his remarks. The state leadership of BJP had also summoned him and instructed him to exercise restraint. This incident had become a major controversy in the state politics. The opposition had tried to corner the government on this issue. Congress had demanded that Premchand Agarwal be sacked from the post of minister. Opposition parties had also created a ruckus in the assembly on this issue. This incident had again raised the sensitive issue between the hilly and plain areas. It became a big embarrassment for the BJP.
This incident has damaged the image of the BJP. The party leadership had to take quick action in this matter. Agarwal’s resignation is being seen in this context. It remains to be seen what impact this incident has on the upcoming elections. Only time will tell whether the public will forget this incident or the BJP will have to bear the brunt of it, but it is certain that this incident has brought a new turn in the politics of Uttarakhand.
