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Congress MLA's fast runs into third day

(From right) Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister N. D. Tiwari and Chipko movement leader Sunder Lal Bahuguna supporting Tehri MLA Kishore Upadhyay outside Vidhan Sabha in Dehra Dun on Thursday.

DEHRA DUN: The indefinite fast by the former Industries Minister and Congress MLA from Tehri Kishore Upadhyay outside the Vidhan Sabha entered the third day on Thursday with the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Harbans Kapoor and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prakash Pant failing to persuade him to give up the fast and attend the Budget Session.

Earlier the Speaker expressed grave concern over the continuation of the indefinite fast by Mr. Upadhyay in the House.

“I am not all that rigid. The Government should immediately agree to at least some of the 25 demands and restore the projects sanctioned during the erstwhile Congress regime including the university at Ranichauri if I am to give up the fast,” Mr. Upadhyay said. The horticulture university was shifted to Bharsar in Pauri district recently by the BJP Government. Pauri is the home district of Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

Mr. Upadhyay first began his indefinite fast in the Well of the House on March 14 but deferred it to March 21 on the assurance by the Government. “I was forced to resume the fast on March 21 and instead of fulfilling my demands, the Government suspended me along with five other members from the House. This shows that the Government is not interested in the welfare of the people of Tehri,” he said. The suspension was however revoked the next day.

Veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari called upon Mr. Upadhyay and expressed all support for his crusade for development. Chipko movement leader Sunder Lal Bahuguna blessed Mr. Upadhyay for success in his crusade for development of Tehri.

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Congress MLA's fast runs into third day

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