Rawat doing ‘non-serious politics’ like Lalu: BJP

Dehradun, Aug 20 (PTI) Accusing Harish Rawat ofemotionally exploiting people of Uttarakhand by often talkingabout things close to their heart and doing nothing for theirdevelopment, the BJP today said the Chief Minister is doingLalu Prasad’s kind of "non-serious politics". "Utttarakhand is known for serious politics.Stopping at abetel shop for a pan, at a shabby tea kiosk for tea or along abusy city road to have a roasted corncob, this is nothing butnautanki of the kind pioneered in Indian politics by formerBihar CM Lalu Prasad whose cult Rawat seems to be following,"Pradesh BJP spokesman Munna Singh Chauhan said. Terming Rawat’s renewed emphasis on celebration oftraditional festivals like Harela, Ghee Sankrand and all thehype around it as "fake", he said all that is meant toemotionally exploit people who are sentimental about theirtraditional festivals. Accusing Rawat of doing nothing on the ground which couldlead to real change in the lives of people, he said the healthsystem has collapsed totally. "Pregnant women are dying due to non-availability ofproper medical care.I have heard of at least six such deathsrecently. One boy died of snake bite at a Haldwani hospitaland another in Uttarkashi recently due to non-availability ofanti-venom vaccine," Chauhan said. Medical equipment worth several hundred crores werebought at the hospitals in Dehradun but most of them areeither lying unutilised or out of order, he alleged. "A man died at Doon Medical College here as he could notbe put on dialysis due to unavailability of filtered water,"the BJP leader said. He claimed that the Kalsi Chakrata road which is justone-and-a-half-hour drive from the state capital is blocked bydebris from landslides for a month, indicating where thingsstood in terms of development in the state. PTI ALM RCJ ZMNRCJNSD