Uttarakhand Minister Aggarwal Resigns Amid Protests After Asking, 'Is State Only for Paharis?'; Congress Calls It Too Late

Prem Chand Aggarwal, facing ire over his comments on 'paharis', resigned from the position of Uttarakhand's Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister on Sunday (16 March) with teary eyes, Indian Express reported.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had sparked a debate about 'locals versus outsiders' in his address to the Assembly during the Budget Session on 21 February by questioning whether Uttarakhand was solely intended for hill dwellers.

"Is this why we sacrificed? Is Uttarakhand just for people in the hills? And, who is in the hills? Some came from Madhya Pradesh while a few others from Rajasthan. You are dividing people into Kumaon, Garhwal, pahari and desi. Will you object only because I am Aggarwal?" the minister had said.

Subsequently, he faced widespread protests across the state. While the civil society and Opposition parties demanded his resignation, many protestors even burnt his effigies and carried out his “funeral procession”.

When the matter did not cool down even after four weeks, Aggarwal met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to extend his resignation. He recalled his efforts for the creation of a separate Uttarakhand state while talking to reporters.

"In this movement for a separate state, I have faced lathis. I have a photo from the time where police are raining blows on me while I lie on the ground. I don’t have to tell you why such a person is being made the target today. The statements of an andolankari have been twisted," he was quoted as saying.

However, Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni expressed displeasure over the fact that the resignation came almost a month after the statement and alleged neither the party nor the government has taken any action against Aggarwal.

She hailed the resignation as a triumph for Uttarakhand and "Uttarakhandiyat" and claimed Aggarwal’s justification and statements on his role in the movement for the state cannot justify his comments against the hill dwellers of the state.