Sunday, 23 April 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN

The Bharatiya Janata Party has appealed to the Congress and other opposition parties to rise above partisan views, come forward to cooperate in the Char Dham Yatra and avoid presenting a negative image of Uttarakhand to people arriving from across the nation and abroad for the pilgrimage. The BJP State media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said that political leaders should avoid making misleading statements and help in creating an enthusiastic atmosphere. He expressed concern stating that some leaders of the opposition and some of the workers of opposition parties are using the social media and other means to make unauthorised, doubtful statements and using past incidents to raise questions at the Yatra management which is not morally right.

Statements made by the Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara citing deaths caused by health reasons in Kedarnath and other Dhams last year and the Joshimath land subsidence disaster to question arrangements made for the Char Dham Yatra are part of this trend, he said. Chauhan claimed that adequate accommodation arrangements have been made for the visitors at Badrinath, Kedarnath, Joshimath, Uttarkashi and all other places. “In such a situation, alleging that there is a lack of accommodation in hotels and guest houses in these places may not only discourage the pilgrims from visiting but may also prove detrimental to the interests of the local business fraternity.

Similarly, spreading unnecessary anxiety regarding the safety of roads may also affect the number of pilgrims. All must understand that it is the moral responsibility of every person in Uttarakhand to ensure that the Char Dham Yatra is held successfully in a safe and grand manner. Hence, it is important that Yatra related information and experiences shared on social media and through other means are authorised and based on facts because it plays an important role in improving the image of the State for tourism,” said the BJP State media in-charge.