A leader of the masses who contributed immensely to achieve Uttarakhand, a relentless fighter and former cabinet minister of Uttarakhand Diwakar Bhatt given final adieu at Haridwar, consigned to flames amid tears in countless eyes of his admirers

Popularly known as the Field Marshal of Uttarakhand, one of the founding leaders of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and a relentless fighter for separate Uttarakhand state, former cabinet minister representing UKD in BJP government in 2007 onwards, vociferous Diwakar Bhatt who had breathed his last yesterday at his residence after being discharged from Indresh Hospital was consigned to flames at Kadkadi Ghat Haridwar amid raising of slogans of Diwar Bhatt Amar Rahe and tears in the eyes of hundreds of UKD activists and his followers. The Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened the cabinet meeting to convey the government’s grief on death of the UKD leader expressing their deepest condolences. Among cross section of the leaders across party and ideological lines the Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal laid garland on the corpse of the UKD founder and paide his final adieu to the departed pious soul with folded hands. Entire Uttarakhand is in grief over the sad demise of this great fighter of separate Uttarakhand movement whose contribution is invaluable in the struggle to achieve statehood after prolonged democratic battle.

Some say it is the end of an era while others say it’s the end of an invincible fighter.
It may be recalled that former cabinet minister if Uttarakhand, a vociferous leader and relentless fighter Diwakar Bhatt’s socio-political life had many dimensions, which made him Diwakar Bhatt, and his work style also set him apart from others.

Amidst all the agreements and disagreements, his greatest asset was his zeal to fight for social issues.
He led many movements in Uttarakhand. He was a fighter and stubborn about issues by nature.

The image we see of Diwakar Bhatt today has a profound background. He was born in Badiyargarh, a region in Tehri, where voices once rose against the oppressive rule of the Tehri State. This area was also the epicenter of the forest movement in the 1970s.

In a way, this has been a land of movements. Diwakar Bhatt was born during the same period when Shridev Suman was martyred in 1944 while protesting against the Tehri State. He was born in the same area where Nagendra Saklani and Molu Bhardari were martyred.

His political career also remained in Kirtinagar. Diwakar Bhatt’s generation was growing up between the dream of independence and its reality. This influenced him, and he began participating in movements at the young age of 19.

After completing his ITI studies, Diwakar Bhatt ji made his special place as an employee leader in BHEL, Haridwar.
He founded the organization “Tarun Himalaya” in 1970, through which he worked in the field of education, organizing cultural events like the Ramlila and establishing a school. Diwakar Bhatt also participated in the Garhwal University movement in 1971.

His attitude was such even at that time that he was arrested along with his associates due to the fear of disturbance of peace at the time of opening of the doors of Badrinath.

Furthermore, Diwakar Bhatt was active with Bipin Tripathi in the 1978 movement against the Pantnagar University incident.

Diwakar Bhatt was one of the founders of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal in 1979.

He was appointed the party’s founding vice-president. His role in the Uttarakhand statehood movement is beyond words. He was involved in it even before the formation of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal.

Since the establishment of UKD, he has played a leading and central role in continuously fighting for the demand for statehood on the streets.

He had active participation in the siege of Kumaon-Garhwal divisions under the leadership of UKD, the historic rally of 1987 in Delhi, and the Uttarakhand bandhs held from time to time.
In 1988, a major movement to complete development projects stalled by the Forest Act led to Bhatt’s arrest. When the Uttarakhand statehood movement erupted in 1994, Diwakar was one of the leading figures in the movement.

When the movement waned after 1994, he began his fast unto death on Sriyantra Island in November 1995 and on Khait Mountain in December 1995. Yashodhar Bainjwal and Rajesh Rawat were martyred on Sriyantra Island.

Active in politics, he served as the Block Chief of Kirtinagar three times, from 1982 to 1996. He always received a large majority of votes in every assembly election he contested.

He also became an MLA and a minister in 2007. He still maintains a strong hold in his constituency. Diwakar Bhatt served as the central president of UKRAND between 1999 and 2017.

We all know Diwakar Bhatt as a dynamic activist. He also knows how to fight and win.