Ever since Uttarakhand came into existence, it became a Rajya Sabha haven for defeated politicians. During BJP rule, Sushma Swaraj was sent to Rajya Sabha from Uttarakhand. During Congress rule it was Satyavrat Chaturvedi. More recently BJP chose Tarun Vijay to represent Uttarakhand in the Upper House. All three are from outside states. They don't even have political base in Uttarakhand. Sushma Swaraj is a Delhi politician, Satyavrat Chaturvedi is from Madhya Pradesh and Tarun Vijay spent a major part of his life so far in Mumbai. This time around, sources say that Raj Babbar and Rajeev Shukla are the claimants.

This raises an important question: What is the purpose of Uttarakhand Berths in Rajya Sabha, if a person from Uttarakhand is not sent there?

If Rajya Sabha seats to states are a way to give them a voice in the upper house, then what purpose this accommodation will serve?

As a people of Uttarakhand, we must not tolerate this any more. Enough is enough. Are we that illiterate not to have even a single Uttarakhand man or woman to represent us in the Upper House? For a change why not send a youth politician of Uttarakhand to RS. A leader who has seen Uttarakhand and its problems better than such parachute candidates.

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