First clean heart of people from communal feelings, says Harish Rawat

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Before launching any sanitation drive, it is important to clean the heart of people from communal and casteism feelings to ensure good health of the nation, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said here today.

Rawat's comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ambitious 'Swachh Bharat' mission, a cleanliness drive across India, which is expected to cost about Rs 2 lakh crore.

"Before sanitation drive, hearts of people should be cleaned from communal and casteism feelings for a healthy country," the chief minister said.

Replying to a question about "justice to the victims" of Rampur Tiraha police firing in Muzaffarnagar, Rawat said the state government has formed a three-member committee to supervise steps in this regard.

Rawat said that his government was concerned and will take steps to provide early justice to the Uttarakhand activists who were killed in police firing at Rampur Tiraha.

"The state government will facilitate the people who struggled for creation of Uttarakhand," he said.

The firing took place on the night of October 1-2, 1994.