Dehradun, June 4
Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, was forced to cut short his journey to Uttarakhand’s Almora on Thursday after adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from completing the trip. The helicopter returned to Pantnagar airport midway after the pilot reported deteriorating weather. Unable to reach the venue, Gandhi later addressed a public rally in Almora by phone, with the call facilitated by Congress general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja.
Apologising to supporters gathered for the ‘Parivartan ka Shankhnaad’ rally, Gandhi said he regretted not being able to attend in person and promised to return to the region soon.
During his address, the Congress leader accused the central government of undermining the vision on which Uttarakhand was created. He alleged that decisions affecting the state were increasingly being controlled from New Delhi rather than by its own people.
Gandhi also claimed that the state’s natural resources were benefiting outside interests more than local communities. He criticised the Narendra Modi government over issues including economic policies, the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), energy security and support for farmers.
The rally, held ahead of future electoral campaigns in the state, was attended by several senior Congress leaders, including state opposition leader Yashpal Arya and former chief minister Harish Rawat.
Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Uttarakhand, during which he is expected to travel across the Garhwal and Kumaon regions, interact with party workers and meet families of ex-servicemen.
