UKD demands Gairsain as Uttarakhand capital

The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) staged demonstrations and sit-ins here today to protest against the Dixit Commission's report, which has opposed making Gairsain the permanent capital of the hill state.

Since Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh as a separate state, the UKD, a key regional party, has vociferously raised the demand for making Gairsain its capital.

UKD workers led by party president Narayan Singh Jantwal assembled at the Gandhi Park here and staged a sit-in to protest against the Dixit Commission's report, which was tabled in the state assembly today.

They also held demonstrations and submitted memoranda to the Dehra Dun district magistrate to be passed on to prime minister Manmohan Singh and chief minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank.

Jantwal said that since 80% of the geographical area of Uttarakhand is hilly, the permanent capital should be housed there.

A committee of legislators set up under the chairmanship of then Uttar Pradesh minister Ramashankar Kaushik had also favoured making Gairsain the capital of the hill state, Jantwal said.

He said the UKD would intensify its stir if its demand were not met.