Dehradun, June 01: Centre's proposed move to alter the route of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Uttaranchal to Jammu and Kashmir has sparked off strong protests across the hill state with the ruling Congress threatening to launch an agitation over the issue. Peeved over the reported statement of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani that the Prime Minister might take up the issue of change of route of the yatra from Pithoragarh to Ladakh with Chinese leaders, the PCC chief has directed all the party district units to submit a memorandum to President A P J Abdul Kalam in protest against the move.
"The holy Mansarovar yatra had been passing through the district of Pithoragarh for a very long time. We would not allow any change in route of yatra from here to elsewhere in the country," Rawat said.
Alleging that the NDA government was "anti-Uttaranchal," Congress workers across the state have burnt effigies of Advani.
Rawat's criticism came after Advani's recent statement that Vajpayee is likely to talk to Chinese authorities over changing the present route from Lipu-Lekh pass in Pithorgarh to Hanley pass in Leh during his visit to that country.
Rawat claimed the BJP was upset over the party's debacle in a series of elections from assembly to panchayat polls.
"Surely, this step is a sort of punishment to the people of Uttarachal for not voting for that party at the elections," Rawat alleged.
Bureau Report