Uttarakhand Congress accuses Centre of 'neglecting' the state

Uttarakhand Congress today accused the Centre of not allocating funds for organising the Ardhkumabh mela in Haridwar and said that it was another proof of its "attitude of neglect" towards the state.
A delegation led by the party's Uttarakhand chief Kishore Upadhyay met Governor Krishna Kant Paul and handed him a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee, expressing strong resentment over the "indifference" with which the Congress-ruled state was being treated by the Centre.
"Budgetary allocations to the state under different heads have been substantially curtailed ever since BJP came to power at the Centre," the memorandum stated.
"Moreover, an assistance of Rs 1,000 crore sought from the Centre for organising the Ardhakumabh mela which formally begins this month is still awaited. It reflects the Centre's attitude of neglect towards Uttarakhand," it said.

The party also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his surprise visit to Lahore recently without taking the Parliament and the people of the country into confidence.
"Patronisation of terrorists by Pakistan is a well-known fact. Their troops are firing relentlessly on Indian posts from across the border while innocent Indians are falling to their bullets," the memorandum stated.

"Under such circumstances, the Prime Minister's surprise visit to Lahore,without taking the Parliament and the people of the country into confidence was by no means justified," it said.
Condemning the terror attack in Pathankot, the state Congress chief said, it gives rise to fresh security concerns for a border state like Uttarakhand.

Upadhyay also blamed the Centre for failing to reduce petrol and diesel prices despite the drop in crude oil prices in the international market and said it was a great injustice to the common man.