Telangana may have triggered a mad scramble for the formation of new states in India. But in Uttarakhand, which was formed only nine years ago, a new demand for the formation of a union territory (UT) of Tehri has taken the hill state totally by surprise.
Congress MLA from Tehri, Kishore Upadhayay has taken up the cudgel for the formation of a UT comprising districts of Tehri, Uttarkashi, Dehra Dun and Rudraprayag, which once formed a separate princely state under the maharaja of Tehri during the British Raj.
After holding a meeting with politicians, social activists and others, Upadhayay has now vowed to organise a series of what he called “jan (people) panchayats” in different parts of the Garhwal region to give fillip to his campaign for a separate UT.
“Demand for a separate UT of Tehri is growing in our region,” said Upadhayay, who had earlier fought for the rights of Tehri dam affected people.
Significantly, the demand for such a UT comes when some Congress leaders have taken up the issue of the inclusion of scores of border villages of Uttar Pradesh into the hill state.