Now, Rahul Gandhi gets stuck in Uttarakhand

India

oi-Shubham

Gauchar (Uttarakhand), June 25: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand on Monday and made an overnight halt here, is now stuck due to bad weather.

It could not have been more embarrassing for the party for not only its leader visited the state after a week had passed by since the disaster struck the state but also because of his prolonged stay in these parts could affect the relief operations.

The Congress had been crying foul after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had visited the state over the weekend and reportedly rescued 15,000 Gujaratis. It was upset with Modi's arrival for it was of the opinion that visits by top politicians would disrupt the rescue operations.

Meanwhile, at the Congress briefing in Delhi on Monday, party spokesperson Renuka Chowdury evaded a question on the tenure of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Uttarakhand, saying it was immaterial.

Top leaders of the Congress on Monday flagged off 24 trucks filled with relief goods from the party headquarters in the capital. The move was criticised as a publicity stunt.

The Congress has set up a control room at Dehradun to quicken the relief work. Congress secretary Sanjay Kapoor and party's Seva Dal chief Mahendra Joshi were sent to the state capital to oversee the relief work.

Over 670 have been killed in the unprecedented natural disaster that struck Uttarakhand on June 16, following incessant rain. Thousands are still left stranded in various affected areas as the Indian Army and other rescuing forces are having a harrowing time to evacuate them owing to inclement weather.

The death toll is expected to exceed 5,000, said a state government source last week.

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