Amitabh Shrivastava
As Uttarakhand reaches 26 years of its existence tonight it’s been a sentimental journey for commentators like me, who have seen its birth.
I had been posted as the first correspondent of Hindustan Times in Dehradun in September 1998 to understand the problems of the hilly area and why it wanted to seperate from Uttar Pradesh.
As far as I understand, the state came into existence mainly because the value system of the people from the plains was much different from those of the hilly community.
As late Diwakar Bhatt explained to me when I first met him at Shivanand Chamoli house, the people of Uttar Pradesh had been traditionally exploiting the wealth and human resources of the hilly areas from the times of the British rulers.
One of the most vital differences between the hill and non-hill populace, as I as a reporter coming from Delhi understood, was the absence of crime.
I remember in the initial days of my posting when I was asked to send crime stories to Delhi I did not know what to do.
People of Uttarakhand were very proud of their honesty.There were stories of villages where locks were never used. Even in Dehradun there were several occasions when I was shopping in a hurry and the shop owner would send a boy running after me if I left without taking back the change.
One of the most revered words that I heard in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand was Nari Shakti which was so evident in the day to day life of its people.
A state with an economy hit by migration of its male population it was the women who held the home together.
With a fragile eco system, its economy was and still remains agriculture based with women constituting 90 per cent.
Luckily for them, the Panchayati Raj system reserving one third seats for women was implemented sincerely and honestly in Uttarakhand.
Unlike in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the elected women Panchayat Chiefs worked independently and brought about changes that were not only good for society but also helped implement it’s cherished self sustainable goals.
Organisations like the Rural Litigation Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) run by stalwart Padamshree Avadhash Kaushal promoted the rural women by involving Women Panchayat Chiefs in decision making.
He arranged to send delegations of women Panchayat Chiefs to the United Nations to represent the voice of Uttarakhand women on the global forum.
True,the political leaders of newly formed Uttarakhand were manipulative and ambitious and they did not hide their greed.
Just after Nityanand Swami had taken oath as the first Chief Minister on the night of 9/10 November 2000, a group of disgruntled BJP workers vandalised the stage.
It later turned out they were supporters of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
The rivalry between ND Tewari and Harish Rawat in the Congress was also reminiscent of the UP politicians back stabbing each other.
Much less said about the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal which went into mouring when the new state actually came into existence.
When I asked them why they were not celebrating one of them said,”What is there to celebrate? Na Jhanda Raha na Danda Ab Chanda Kahan Se Ayega.”
But women held a special place. Leaders like late Sushila Balooni could ransack a Valentine Day party because it coincided with Shivratri, just to quote one instance.
As such when I read about the fate of the parents of Ankita Bhandari (to highlight just one case) being picked up by Delhi Police from Rajghat for observing a non-violent protest Dharna I wonde why Pushkar Singh Dhami is not resigning.
Instead, the BJP is now highlighting an old case of 2003 involving Congress leader Dr. Harak Singh Rawat.
But why?
Do we have a Congress govt in Delhi?
Somehow I think Nityanand Swami would have resigned but not sure.
Would the firebrand Diwakar Bhatt have resigned had he annexed the CM seat thorough some Jugaad?
I had great regard for him after my interactions with him in my two postings in Dehradun!
I have been also been reading the figures of the NCRB about crimes in Uttarakhand and it pains me that it tops the list of Himalyan states in crimes against women.
I have no personal stakes in Uttarakhand- no farm-house, no house, no piece of land as many of my contenpiraries in journalism have created.
It’s just an emotional bond for a people whom I expected to have more spine than the people it seperated from.
Keeping fingers crossed!
