U'khand: Why PM didn't address nation, asks BJP

New Delhi, June 25: The BJP on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not addressing the nation over the Uttarakhand disaster, saying it was shocked to see the PM not feeling it necessary.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said it was shocking to see that the PM did not care to address the countrymen even after a week had passed since the disaster. He compared the situation with the USA, where he said the President speaks to the people even if there is a minor incident of shooting.

When asked about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the flood-hit state and his decision to rescue only Gujaratis who were left stranded there, Javadekar said the Congress was busy politicising the Uttarakhand tragedy for it was extremely apprehensive about Modi's popularity and was keen to drag him into all sorts of controversy.

Javadekar said Modi was doing what any other chief minister would do for his own state. He said Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan also went to Uttarakhand but nobody raised any question on that.

The BJP also accused the Congress of diverting the focus from disaster prevention and resorting to petty politics.

The principal opposition party reiterated the demand the Uttarakhand calamity as a national disaster and wanted the government to set up a Lessons Learnt Commission to take cognizance of the factors that caused the tragedy and hos such incidents could be dealt with more effectively in future.

Several lives have been lost in the catastrophe while the Indian Army and other forces are still struggling to rescue thousands left stranded in the affected areas due to adverse weather and geographical conditions.

OneIndia News