By: Ravinder Vasudeva
Bilaspur: Heralding a new chapter of the political history of Himachal Pradesh, leaders from various parties on Saturday come together on one platform and discussed plans of their respective political parties for ensuring safety of Himalayas in the state. The Himalaya Niti Abhiyan Samiti had invited these political representatives in order to listen to the grievances of various public movements being carried out by locals of different parts of the state.
While the representatives of the opposition Congress, BSP, CPM and CPI shared their views on the forum, absence of members of the ruling BJP raised doubts about the seriousness of the party over the issue. During the conference, leaders were asked to make specific statements and comments on the charter of demands presented to them by the Himalaya Niti Abhiyan Samiti.
Addressing the participants, state general secretary of the BSP, KK Kaushal, said that in order that grievances of locals affected by various projects were heard, the political parties should show real will power and come forward with the real face of their respective party. “In the present scenario, political corruption has become the main deterrent in solving problems of the people. On the one side, political leaders stand with the grievances of the locals, while on the other they take money from industrialists for contesting elections. How can one believe that the party which is fighting elections with money taken from industrial houses can raise the voice of the people against the same?” he stated.
Bilaspur district secretary of CPM, Lakhan Pal, described the role of his party in dealing with such problems. “I have no hesitation in saying that CPM is the only party in the state which fought hard to ensure the rights of the people whether it is the discrepancies in different cement plants or the hydel projects,” he said, adding that affected people should unitedly demonstrates against the wrongdoings of the governments and big companies running the projects.
State secretary of CPI, Deshraj Sharma, touched upon the issue of the need for people-centred development. “Criticizing political leaders is not any solution to the problems of the public as ultimately it is the public which selects them as their representatives,” he said. Sharma also said that he extended his full support to the demands of the people’s movements.
Ghumarvin MLA and district president of the Congress party Rajesh Dharmani, said that struggle was not the solution for people’s grievances until it reaches some conclusion. “Being a member of a responsible political party, I would say struggle against the grievances cannot provide solution until it reaches the solution. Criticizing developmental projects would only make hard the development of our society. So, instead of criticizing these projects, we should discuss what new strategies can be followed by which the locals become the least sufferers,” he said.