In eye of storm over 'pahadi' remark, Uttarakhand minister Prem Chand Aggarwal resigns

Dehradun, Mar 16 (PTI) Uttarakhand minister Prem Chand Aggarwal resigned from the Cabinet on Sunday, weeks after his remark in the assembly on people from the state's hill regions had sparked protests.

Aggarwal, who held key portfolios, including finance and parliamentary affairs, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his official residence, according to an official statement.

Speaking to reporters before tendering his resignation, Aggarwal was overcome with emotion while referring to his role in the Uttarakhand statehood movement.

He said it was unfair to target someone "who played an important role" in the creation of Uttarakhand and endured police action.

He referred to the 1994 firing on Uttarakhand statehood activists in Muzaffarnagar, and said he immediately boarded a truck from Delhi to Meerut, reaching the spot to help the injured.

Aggarwal also said he faced baton-charges during the movement. "It is not right to target the person who played an important role in the creation of Uttarakhand and faced lathi-charge." About the row over his remark in the assembly on people from the state's hill regions, Aggarwal said he suffered a lot due to the kind of "atmosphere" created in the state.

"The words of a statehood agitator were presented in a distorted manner... I am deeply hurt," he said, referring to himself.

Visibly emotional, Aggarwal said despite deciding to resign, he will always work for Uttarakhand.

He said that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee created Uttarakhand and, today, PM Narendra Modi is grooming it. Under the able leadership of Chief Minister Dhami, Uttarakhand is progressing in leaps and bounds.

During the budget session in February, Aggarwal reacted angrily to a comment directed towards him by Congress MLA Madan Bisht and said he had not fought for Uttarakhand's statehood to see a day when a dichotomy would be made between 'pahadi' and 'desi'.

Aggarwal had also uttered an objectionable word during his argument with the opposition MLAs. His remark sparked anger among the people, especially those from the state's hill areas.

The minister had expressed regret over his remark and the BJP's state leadership also summoned and instructed him to exercise restraint.

People's anger erupted against him from social media to the streets over his remarks. The main opposition party Congress and Uttarakhand Kranti Dal had burnt effigies of Aggarwal demanding his removal from the state cabinet.

Many prominent organisations had also held a massive rally in the state's summer capital Gairsain and demanded the dismissal of Aggarwal from the Cabinet. PTI DPT NSD NSD

Source: PTI