BJP trying to take political mileage out of disaster: Harish Rawat

CHANDIGARH: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat launched a veiled attack on BJP, accusing it of trying to make political capital out of the tragedy which struck the hill state last year in the Lok Sabha polls.

"I have to say this with sadness that one responsible political party, rather than standing with us shoulder-to- shoulder in the light of what has happened (natural disaster), is trying to exploit the situation and derive political mileage out of it," Rawat said in an apparent reference to BJP.

He hoped that, after the Lok Sabha polls in the hill state's five seats are over on May 7, they (BJP) will lend their support in the rehabilitation and reconstruction work which is going on after the last year's deluge.

Rawat, who was talking to reporters at the CII's northern headquarters here this evening, was asked how the last year's tragedy is impacting the Lok Sabha polls in his state.

He said a total 4,118 persons had been declared dead or presumed to have died in the tragedy which struck last year, and compensation had been given to the affected families.

Rawat evaded a direct reply when asked to comment if his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna had to quit after his leadership skills came under scrutiny in the wake of the natural calamity that had hit the state in June last year.

He restricted himself to saying "I am only building further on the platform (relief and rehabilitation work started by Bahuguna after the tragedy) he had built".

The Chief Minister, who earlier this week reviewed preparations for the Char Dham Yatra, spoke about preparations for the yatra and the Hemkund Sahib Yatra beginning next month, and said on the lines of NDRF, his government has set up State Disaster Response Force to make the yatras more safe.

"The road conditions, the facilities and technology have been upgraded. Roadside amenities and shelters have been upgraded too while mobile towers have been put up to ensure wider network connectivity," he said.