Facing criticism over 'pahadi' remarks, Uttarakhand minister Aggarwal apologises in state assembly

Dehradun: Amid a controversy over his 'pahadi' remarks, Uttarakhand minister Premchand Aggarwal on Saturday said his statement was "twisted" and offered an apology in the state assembly.

The apology by Aggarwal came as the opposition Congress termed his remark as an "insult" to the hill people. Some parts of the state also witnessed protests with agitators burning the minister's effigy.

Earlier, several opposition members including Leader of Opposition in the assembly Yashpal Arya, Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh and others demanded an apology from Aggarwal who holds several portfolios including parliamentary affairs, finance and urban development.

"He (Aggarwal) has used unparliamentary language despite being a senior member, a minister and a former Speaker. It is an insult to the people of the hills," Arya said.

Aggarwal said when Gairsain which symbolises the aspirations of the hill people was made the summer capital of Uttarakhand by the then chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, he was the Speaker.

"Didn't Premchand Aggarwal dance delightedly to celebrate the announcement?" he asked the opposition members.

The minister said his words were "twisted", still if they had hurt anyone's feelings he seeks their forgiveness with folded hands.

After the minister's apology, Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan said it was the collective responsibility of every member to maintain the dignity of the House and work towards taking Uttarakhand to new heights of development.

There were protests in Rishikesh where people burnt the minister's effigy saying he had no right to "insult" the hill community.

While talking to reporters outside the assembly, Aggarwal recently said that Congress MLA from Dwarahat Madan Singh Bisht had probably come drunk to the House. This hurt Bisht and other Congress legislators representing the hills.

This had led to a heated argument between Aggarwal and opposition members in the Assembly also on Friday when someone from the opposition benches said the minister had targeted the hill people through his remark.

Aggarwal had reacted angrily to this asking them not to speak in terms of "pahadi" and "desi". People did not fight for statehood to Uttarakhand to witness this, he had said.

Speaker Bhushan had expressed her strong displeasure over the members' conduct and asked them not to behave like people in the streets.