DAINIK NATION BUREAU
A person, whose business got haywire due to demonetisation and GST, has visited janta darbar after consuming poison at state BJP head office on Saturday. The Janta Darbar was being led by state agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal.
Prakash Pandey, who is a transporter, alleged that he has been running here and there to seek solution of their woe for the last four five months but nothing happened. With this step he has highlighted the plight of businessmen especially transporter after demonetisation and GST.
He further said that neither the Prime Minister nor the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has bothered to respond to his letter, asking for some relief from the compulsion of repaying his loans. He was initially admitted into Doon Hospital and later referred to higher centre as he was finding difficult to breathe, said a doctor of the Doon Hospital. The leader of the Opposition Indira Hridayesh said that their anti-people policies are driving the poor into desperation. She cited several deaths of farmers in the state since the BJP Government assumed charge because of their financial distress.
Pandey said that his spell of misfortune started after the State Government banned mining in August 2016. Things turned worse following demonetisation and enforcement of GST, he said, adding that his truck taken on loan from some financers remained idle since August 2016. He said that unable to pay back the loan amount, he had shot off letters both to the PM and the CM, praying for some relief on the payment of the interests on the loan, but to no avail.
Talking to media, GDMC medical superintendent Dr KK Tamta said that poisonous substances have been pumped out of his stomach and sent to police for forensic lab test. His blood pressure was low and he was having acute breathing problem, things which prodded them to refer to another hospital, he added.
Minister Uniyal expressed his shock over the incident and prayed for his speedy recovery while the veteran Congress leader Indira Hridayesh said that the incident has brought into light the plight of the common men. “The demonetisation and GST have together crippled economy. The State along with the country is suffering. Previously some farmers died tragic deaths, unable to withstand the loan recovery pressure. This is the latest instance of the common people suffering the consequences of the double- engine government’s anti-people policies,” she added.
He said that before this his business turnover was in Rs 50-60 lakh per annum but now he is unable to meet both ends demand of their family. While he was disclosing his grievance then the janta darbar was being led by state agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal. Seeing his condition other leaders, who were sitting adjacent to the minister, presumed that he is under the influence of sedative so they said that have you consumed something? Pandey disclosed that he has consumed poison and kept wrapper of the poison. Seeing the wrapper BJP leaders rushed him to doon hospital.
He alleged that due to slow down in his business he is unable to repay the EMI of bank loan and even unable to pay the fee of his ward. he said that due to GST business has slowed down and need immediate help.