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Committee fails to solve Udham Singh Nagar issue

The solution to the contentious Udham Singh Nagar issue has eluded the high-level three-member committee that met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Defence Minister George Fernandes.

At the end of an hour-long meeting in the South Block, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who is member of the committee, along with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, told the media that they would meet again. He refused to elaborate on the deliberations. He also did not specify when they would meet again.

Badal also chose to keep mum on the issue and said only the chairman of the committee could say anything.

But Akali sources said though Badal's party stand is that the Punjabi-dominated plains of Udham Singh Nagar should be retained in Uttar Pradesh, respecting the sentiments of locals. He was also ready for a face-saving formula by which more plain areas from UP could be included in the proposed state to create a demographic balance between the hill and plains.

On the other hand, sources said, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh did not want to leave the district out of the proposed state for political reasons, and have repeatedly assured the hill people the party's commitment to create an economically viable state.

The Kalyan Singh government had already supported the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 1998, introduced in the last session of the Lok Sabha, making Udham Singh Nagar an integral part of the new state.

UNI

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