Uttarakhand election 2022: PM Narendra Modi hits out at Congress for using name of former CDS Bipin Rawat for votes

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a scathing attack on the Congress party for using late Chief of Defence Stadd (CDS) General Bipin Rawat`s name to gather votes in the upcoming assembly elections here.

Hitting out at the Congress party while addressing ‘Vijay Sankalp Sabha’ in Srinagar city, PM Modi reminded that a top Congress leader once called late CDS Gen Bipin Rawat ‘Sadak ka Gunda`.

"The Congress party is using late CDS Gen Bipin Rawat`s name to gather votes. They did politics over his name after his appointment as the first CDS of the country. A leader of this party even called him `Sadak ka Gunda`," Prime Minister said.

Uttarakhand | BJP issued resolution document for the next 5 yrs, this resolution document empowers the farmers & youth. This decade will be the decade of Uttarakhand: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/m50dwqYEPR

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 10, 2022

Remembering late CDS Rawat, PM Modi said that the people of Uttarakhand have always protected the country like a vigilant watchdog.

"Today, memories of such a brave son of Pauri Garhwal, General Bipin Rawat ji are making me emotional. He showed the country that the people of Uttarakhand do not only have courage like mountains but also have high thinking like the Himalayas," PM Modi said.

Prime Minister said Uttarakhand people can never forget the attitude of Congress leaders towards the Indian Army when they conducted surgical strikes on terrorist bases.

"I remember some leaders (Congress) from Delhi also asked for proof," he added.

India`s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in December last year. General Rawat was headed to Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. 

He was India's longest-serving four-star General. General Rawat`s wife Madhulika Rawat and twelve other defence force personnel had also died in the helicopter crash.

Uttarakhand is scheduled for polls on February 14 and the results will be announced on March 10.