VoL Desk, Nov. 30: The Leh District Congress Committee members voiced concerns regarding the “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra,” labelling it a politically motivated venture ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

These apprehensions were aired during a press conference held in Leh. In the opening statements of the press conference, Congress Councilor Smanla Dorje Nurbu highlighted that the touring vehicle visiting Ladakh’s villages to raise awareness prominently displays images of PM Modi at all sites. Moreover, the videos screened inside the bus are solely in standard Hindi, posing challenges even for Hindi speakers to comprehend.

The campaign kicked off from the Skurbuchan Constituency and conducted a gram sabha, excluding the area’s elected Councillor from participation. Dorje criticized the campaign’s promise of developments until 2047, asserting that government departments are being exploited for political advantage leading up to the 2024 elections.

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There are indications that BJP workers and counsellors are actively engaging in the campaign, misusing the platform for political motives, as stated by the Skubuchan Councillor. Initiated on November 15, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary, the Viksit Bharat campaign aims to raise awareness regarding government schemes in different departments across all villages in Ladakh’s districts.

Dorje also expressed concerns about the reduction in public rations, shortened service years for army personnel (now limited to four years), and the involvement of non-local entities in the tourism sector. These factors have created significant economic challenges for the local populace in Ladakh.

Councillor Himisgang, Tashi Tundup, accused public representatives of being excluded from the gram sabha, denouncing the utilization of the platform for political gains. He questioned the sudden remembrance of Birsa Munda’s legacy when the elections are near and not in the BJP’s nine-year governance tenure.

Additionally, Tundup Nurbu Cheetah, a Congress Councillor, questioned the delay in establishing medical and engineering colleges in Ladakh, which were announced five years prior with no progress on construction. He criticized the ruling council for replacing Urdu with Hindi, advocating instead for the incorporation of the local Ladakhi language.