Ukhand relief: Cong asks oppn to desist from playing politics

New Delhi, July 3: Slamming BJP leader Sushma Swaraj for seeking dismissal of the Uttarkhand government over its handling of the flood tragedy, Congress today asked the Opposition to desist from playing politics over relief work.

Congress General Secretary Ambika Soni, who is AICC in-charge for Uttarakhand, said that since MLAs and MPs have also now been made an integral part of the relief work under a new mechanism, "where is the question of politics. These MP and MLAs could belong to any political party."

"I consider it very unfortunate as it comes at this stage, when we have just begun to work on the second phase of relief work. We should resist politicising relief works.

"It is very unfortunate that top leaders make such comments because everyone is trying to do what best can be done... This is a massive tragedy that has happened to those who went there for pilgrimmage....It is not proper to politicise those sentiments...this was playing with those sentiments. That was not the right statement," Soni told reporters.

Swaraj had on Monday tweeted that Uttarakhand government should be dismissed for being inept and incompetent in handling the crisis in the state.

The war of words between BJP and Congress over the Uttarakhand tragedy has intensified in last two days with the main opposition party claiming that the country has witnessed the "biggest failure" of the Centre and the Vijay Bahuguna government in dealing with the situation.

Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaj Hussain had said yesterday, "the biggest VIP of the country went there (Uttarakhand) while our leaders were stopped".

Soni, however countered it saying that Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had disapproved of the visits of VIPs during the tragedy as that time rescue operation were more important but there are changes in the situation now.

"Nobody is stopping anyone's visits but they should realise that they will have to work there under difficult conditions. There are not motorable roads at present so that anyone can drive in the area in a taxi," she said.

PTI