Monsoon Session of Uttarakhand Assembly: Unrest Over State Capital Status

The Uttarakhand Assembly's monsoon session will commence in Gairsain, where Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will address a supplementary budget of Rs 5,000 crore. Protests have erupted, demanding Gairsain be declared the permanent capital and stricter land laws. Prohibitory orders have been imposed to ensure smooth conduct.

The three-day monsoon session of the Uttarakhand Assembly is set to begin in Gairsain on Wednesday, with a supplementary budget of around Rs 5,000 crore on the agenda. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has already arrived to attend the session.

In light of the session, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita have been imposed around the assembly building premises to ensure smooth proceedings until August 23. Protests erupted a day before the session, with various groups demanding that Gairsain be declared Uttarakhand's permanent capital.

Protestors also called for stricter land laws to restrict land purchases by outsiders and the enforcement of Mool Niwas, 1950. If demands are not met, activists warn of a larger movement akin to the Uttarakhand statehood movement. The BJP-led administration faces criticism for holding an assembly session in Gairsain after a two-year hiatus.

(With inputs from agencies.)