Dehra Dun: In fresh signs of dissent, Union Minister Harish Rawat on Monday sought permission from his party rival and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to organise a political dharna to highlight "harassment" of farmers in his Haridwar constituency.
Rawat has written a letter to Bahuguna seeking his permission to organise "Ganga Bhajan" programme on August 18 in Haridwar.
The state Congress has termed it as a "battle cry" against the government.
"Rawat has sounded a battle cry by seeking permission from the chief minister for Ganga Bhajan on August 18 at Har-Ki-Pauri, the main bathing ghat in Haridwar," said party spokesman Surendra Kumar in a statement.
In a letter to Bahuguna, Rawat said the government must stop the "harassment" of farmers of his Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency in the name of "illegal mining of sand."
"During the past few days, farmers are not being given permission to visit their fields under the pretext of stopping illegal sand mining at Haridwar.
"Not only the farmers are being denied permission to 'level' their land, but they are also prevented from collecting sand and pebbles for the construction of their homes," Rawat claimed.
A section of leaders close to Rawat said that the Union minister has actually sought permission to stage a political dharna against the chief minister.
Yesterday, Rawat had sought to mount pressure on Bahuguna by demanding that PCC chief Yashpal Arya be removed and replaced with his loyalist Pradip Tamta, an MP from Pithoragarh seat.
Among other demands, Rawat said the government must stop harassment of people under the pretext of illegal electricity metre connections.
"Officials of power departments are carrying out raids against illegal electricity metres and are harassing people and imposing fines on them," Rawat alleged.
Rawat also demanded compensation to farmers, whose land is being acquired for broadening of highways, on the lines of amount being fixed by the GAIL India in Haridwar where it is bringing a gas pipeline from Saharanpur.
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