Bageshwar, October 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has urged Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav to correct his remark that most “infiltrators” in Uttar Pradesh are from Uttarakhand, saying people who settle in another state should not be labelled as infiltrators.
The controversy followed Yadav’s comments in Lucknow on Friday while responding to the BJP’s allegations that opposition parties were protecting alleged infiltrators by questioning the Election Commission of India’s actions.
Reacting to the statement, Rawat said people from Uttarakhand had long worked and settled in Uttar Pradesh, just as many people from Uttar Pradesh had made Uttarakhand their home.
“Those who settle in a place are citizens there. How can they be called infiltrators?” Rawat asked.
He said Uttarakhand had been part of Uttar Pradesh before its formation as a separate state, and many people from the hill state continued to regard Uttar Pradesh as their karmabhoomi.
Rawat suggested that Yadav’s remarks were intended to criticise Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but said referring to Uttarakhand in that context was inappropriate. He expressed hope that the Samajwadi Party chief would correct the statement.
The remarks have drawn criticism from political leaders in Uttarakhand across party lines. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami accused Yadav of insulting the state’s identity, history and sacrifices. In a post on X, Dhami described Uttarakhand as both Devbhoomi and Veerbhoomi, highlighting its spiritual heritage and contribution to national service.
Dhami also invoked the 1994 Rampur Tiraha incident, when activists demanding a separate Uttarakhand state were fired upon during the tenure of then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s father.
Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri also criticised the remarks, saying such language against the people of the state was unacceptable.
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