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Assembly elections in Uttarakhand are to be held next year in 2027. Along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress has also started preparations in full swing for the elections. In these preparations, Congress is helping the public by appointing leaders at the organizational level. But amidst all this, Congress made an important appointment for the state on August 18, which remains a topic of discussion. Congress has handed over the responsibility of national media coordinator to its young and flamboyant spokesperson Pankhuri Pathak for the Uttarakhand assembly elections.

While handling this responsibility, Pankhuri will be responsible for conveying the ideology and manifesto of Congress to the public. Besides, their responsibility will be to convey the party's work to the public through the state media and national media. In such a situation, 'Khabargaon' talked to Pankhuri Pathak and asked questions about her work, BJP government and the problems of the people of Uttarakhand…

Question- Pankhuri, you have got the responsibility of National Media Coordinator for Uttarakhand, how will you do this work?

Answer-My priority will be to spread the thinking, work, manifesto and ideology of Congress regarding elections to the people of Uttarakhand as much as possible. To make contact with all our media partners across the state. At the same time, understand the different types of problems in different areas in Uttarakhand and convey them to the public. I will try to connect with the media in a better way.

Question- How will you connect with new types of media (Instagram, YouTube)?

Answer- In digital media, especially channels on YouTube and Instagram, content creators are today a major medium of conveying information to the public. These are part of our work… without them we cannot convey our message to the people. As the credibility of main stream media is declining, I think people are also trusting new digital media more today. I will try my best to talk to all the channels and creators on digital media and coordinate properly.

Question- There is a Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttarakhand for the last ten years, so what shortcomings have you seen in the BJP government so far? If so, which ones are they?

Answer- Bharatiya Janata Party had a great opportunity to create a new model of development in Uttarakhand, because there is a double engine government of BJP both in the state and at the Centre. But, BJP could not take advantage of this opportunity and wasted it. The BJP government could not rectify the fundamental problems that existed in Uttarakhand 20 years ago even during its ten years of double engine government. The biggest problem in this is education and job.

Uttarakhand is a state from where migration has been going on for many decades. The villages of Uttarakhand have become completely empty, where only elderly people live. The youth have migrated from the villages. BJP had a great opportunity to work on education and jobs, which they could not capitalize on and wasted the time completely. Neither the promise regarding government jobs was fulfilled, nor the promise of skill development, nor the promise of industrial development in the state was fulfilled.

There is a big crisis facing Uttarakhand because the youth of the state are not able to see their bright future. BJP had an opportunity to work on health in Uttarakhand but most areas of the state do not have good health facilities. Except Dehradun and Haridwar, it is difficult to get treatment in villages and hilly areas. If anyone needs treatment in these areas, people have to come to Delhi. This is the biggest failure of the government.

The environment has been destroyed on a large scale in Uttarakhand, due to which the ecology of the mountains has been affected. The BJP government is not paying any attention to this matter. This shows evidence of the government's failure.

Question- People of Uttarakhand are working outside in Delhi-NCR or big cities. What has BJP done for them so far? How do you see this?

AnswerThere are many reasons in Uttarakhand due to which people had to migrate from here. Even today there are many people who want to return to Uttarakhand… want to go to their homes and want to do something better for their state and village. But the sad thing is that there are no opportunities of any kind in Uttarakhand nor has the BJP government done such work in the last 10 years that the migrants can come and work here. The government has not taken any initiative to bring back the migrants here nor has it made any contact with anyone.

If the government is not able to provide jobs/employment and facilities to the people living in Uttarakhand, then how will the migrants living outside come?

Question- If Congress government comes, will it work in this area?

Answer- Sure! If the Congress government comes, it will work in the fields of education, health and jobs along with basic facilities of Uttarakhand. When these problems are fixed then the migrants will definitely return to their homes.

Question- uHow much has crime reduced in Uttarakhand in these 10 years?

Answer- Uttarakhand has always been a peace loving state. People here are sensitive. Incidents of crime have never been seen on a large scale in the state. It has also been seen that there were no riots or infighting among groups in Uttarakhand, but it is very unfortunate that ever since the BJP government came to power, this kind of atmosphere is being created continuously. BJP is working to fight different sects.

In Uttarakhand today we are seeing a new kind of hooliganism of organizations like Bajrang Dal. Minorities are being harassed in the state. The people from the minority community working here are harassed. Such incidents have never been seen in Uttarakhand. After the recent murder in Dehradun, serious questions are being raised on the law and order of the state.

Question- It has been 26 years since Uttarakhand got separated from Uttar Pradesh, how much has Uttarakhand developed after separation?

Answer- The people who had waged a long movement to create Uttarakhand had high hopes that if a new state is formed, there will be development, migration will stop and people's problems will be solved. Basic facilities will reach especially the hilly areas but unfortunately this has not happened. In the last 10 years, the BJP government promised many times that there would be a medical college and trauma center in every district, but no such work could be done in Uttarakhand. Even today, if someone wants good education, he has to leave Uttarakhand.

The kind of development that could have happened in Uttarakhand did not happen. Working in this direction, the previous Congress governments created Special Economic Zones and gave various incentives to companies to come here, but the BJP government did not work on them. There is no dearth of resources in Uttarakhand, there are many possibilities here, but BJP wasted time in 10 years.

Question- There are allegations that BJP suppresses the media, how will you coordinate with the media and journalists?

Answer- Today, as the opposition, we have a huge responsibility for the journalists who are independent and working diligently to show the truth. We will provide whatever security we can to such journalists. It is our responsibility to stand with such journalists when they face trouble. There is a need to come in contact with such journalists and raise their problems. Congress has continuously become the voice for such journalists.

Whenever media was attacked in Uttar Pradesh and other states, Congress has raised that issue very vocally. We will continue to do this work in future also. If the government suppresses journalists, the Congress party will always stand with them.