Even after 2 decades, Uttarakhand’s youth unfortunately addicted to drugs due to massive unemployment leading to frustration : Upadhyay

Uttarakhand which was achieved after so much of sacrifices and 46 martyrdom even after more than two decades of its existence witnessing eleven chief Ministers has become a carbon copy of Uttar Pradesh with the actual concept for which Uttarakhand was born being forgotten entirely.

Unfortunately, the youth of this himalayan state in villages and towns have been addicted to drugs and liquor giving it the colour of “Udta Uttarakhand”, ( flying Uttarakhand) as was the case with Punjab.

These views were expressed by the former state president, industrial advisor to former CM N. D. Tiwari and founding chief of Forests rights movement of Uttarakhand Kishore Upadhyay.

He was speaking at the seminar at Tehri Garhwal on the subject : Uttarakhand debate : “What have we achieved and lost – Challenges Ahead”.

Congress leader Kishore Upadhyay said that this is the greatest misfortune of the hilly state that after two decades of different governments’ functioning with 11 chief Ministers on the saddle, the actual and basic objective and concept for which Uttarakhand was achieved, have been defeated, with unemployment at its peak and frustrated youth allegedly being addicted to drugs and illicit liquor with its health and education sector at its lowest ebb.

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He said, this is indeed a sorry state of affair in Uttarakhand that while two top most prestigious schools are functioning at Dehradun, one being Doon school etc where wards of the richest are being given quality education, not a single student of those living in villages are imparted education here with about more than three thousand schools functioning in villages having been closed, rendering thousands of students devoid of education including compelling about more thant thirty lakh people migrating to towns and cities during the previous decades and, after Uttarakhand coming into existence.

Some speakers even went to the extent of blaming and accusing our politicians as opportunists and vultures whose vulture like greedy eyes and attitude have literally spoiled/ destroyed the hilly state always wanting to exploit its wealth, natural resources and tax payers money finally leading the state to run on the fiscal deficit of whopping Rs. 65000 crores in just two decades.

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He added that the unemployment graph of the state has broken all records with the wards of the richest of the rich seeking quality education in high profile schools but hundreds of schools at village levels being closed simultaneously barring the students of the rural areas of their academic future.

In view of the election nearing the politicians are busy playing the political chess game to fit their pawns to play with the fate of Uttarakhand’s electorates said Kishore Upadhyay.

The Covid pandemic has broken the economic backbone of the people and the government. What is most anguishing aspect is that Uttarakhand despite giving water, electricity, lives and air to the nation its inhabitants are suffering due to the prevailing distortion in the system and the current government.

Several political leaders, social and civil society activists barring the BJP participated in this seminar.