Urgent: Devbhoomi Uttarakhand Needs Divine Grace for Its Protection

Uttarakhand is known as Devbhoomi because many religious and spiritual places are situated there. Uttarakahnd is land of Char Dham, Panch Kedar & Panch Prayag. Locals relate to nature and they are dependent on the forest for managing their lifestyle. Uttarakhand, the last hilly state to achieve statehood, gained its statehood on November 9, 2000, after a protracted struggle against the state of Uttar Pradesh to assert its right to statehood.

The Uttarakhand government is celebrating Rajat Jayanti [ Silver Jubilee] as Uttarakhand completed 25 years of statehood. Why am I saying Uttarakhand Government, not Uttarakhand people? There is a logic behind it. People in Uttarakhand are busy in land registry. Locals are in tension due to cold and frost because many of them have old, ancient houses built by their forefathers, which are in a damaged condition. There are many youngsters who are getting involved in drug addiction. So, the question is who will enjoy the celebration of Rajat Jaynti? Do they have enough money or motivation for celebrating ‘Rajat Jayanti’?

Hill and Himalaya are important terms while talking about Uttarakhand. In Uttarakhand, residents who read national newspapers such as The Hindu, Indian Express, and Times of India often find a disproportionate number of advertisements for the Chief Minister and other ministers compared to news coverage of Uttarakhand’s achievements. This discrepancy raises a valid question for the common citizen residing in the hazardous mountainous regions: why are these leaders being promoted through advertisements? Who is there target audience? The central government, the residents of other states, or the Uttarakhandis who have migrated to other states, advertising is not a novel concept. However, disregarding the fundamental issue of hilly terrain and presenting it as an ideal state presents a significant challenge. Furthermore, why are they still enduring such deplorable conditions where schools are merely functional spaces for restroom use and sunbathing? There are many youngsters who are in government exam preparation mode from the last 6-7 years, which is a harsh reality. The motivation of many such youngsters is not to serve the state but to become a part of the government system so that they can also survive in a state of political and bureaucratic supremacy. Paper leaks have become such a common sense that a student who is not getting good marks or not able to crack the job has a deep emotion inside that something went wrong in conducting examination. It’s very urgent to break this common sense so that aspirants can make a self-analysis for their Failure.

One of the major voices of Rajya Andolan was against the reservation Aarakshan ka ilaaj prithak rajya (A separate state is the cure for reservation) as 27 percent reservation for OBC was introduced by Mandal Commission and successfully implemented in the Uttar Pradesh state by Mulayam Singh Yadav who was an OBC leader. But now those Rajya Andolanari who were once against the reservation system want reservation in government jobs with pension facilities not for themselves but also for their upcoming generation. Uttarakhand introduced 10 percent local reservation for them.

Why did we make the state of Uttarakhand? Why did people participate in Rajya Andolan? Did they participate for reservation, or did they participate to preserve the local Uttarakhand culture and make it Uttarakhand Viksit Bhumi? Do you think a mass rebellion can happen without the support of local people? Individuals who held prominent positions as local leaders were granted the privilege of receiving the benefits of Rajya Andolankari. Conversely, those who merely participated in the movement, advocated for a separate state, and lack any connection to newspapers or verifiable evidence of their involvement in Rajya Andolan are ordinary citizens who have no reason to celebrate the silver jubilee, nor do they possess financial resources or motivation.

Geopolitics is applicable in local politics also, as realists prescribe preserving self-interest is the best interest. In the same way, it’s not about right or wrong; it’s about self-interest. Who is Rajya-Aandolankari, who is mool niwasi, who is Pahadi, who is Maidani , are the important points of discussion in the Uttarakhand Vidhansabha sessions. These questions are arising because there is no clear-cut definition for each term. However, it is also accurate that these terms are political in nature and must be defined without selecting an option that could lead to confusion.

Silver jubilee is for those who are earning lakhs in a month and getting benefit of all government schemes directly or indirectly but there is also a sect of people, who are in frustration for basic life facilities.

As a resident of Uttarakhand, our primary objective should be to transform Uttarakhand into a prosperous state, free from the shackles of inequality, poverty, and malnutrition. The diminishing trust in our leaders has led to a growing sentiment among the people of Uttarakhand that they require divine intervention to safeguard their beloved Devbhoomi.

Naman Joshi is a PhD research scholar at the Department of Political Science, Kumaun University, Nainital.