Himachal Pradesh: More than a week after Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi along with country’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, the foundation stone plaque at the tunnel has “gone missing”.
The foundation stone plaque was laid by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on June 28, 2010. As the stone is “missing”, the opposition party Congress has threatened a state-wide agitation against it.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief has termed it an “insult to democracy”.
He said that a complaint has been sent to state’s Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and the state Director General of Police. He further said that Congress had also decided to register an FIR in the matter.
“We have asked the government to investigate the entire matter within 15 days and restore the foundation stone plaque. If the government fails to do it, we will launch a State-wide agitation,” a report by The Hindu quoted Rathore as having said.
“The state government and Police are responsible for the foundation stone plaque going missing”, he added.
The ‘Atal Tunnel’ at Rohtang was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur and Director General of BRO Harpal Singh during on October 3, 2020.
The 9.02-km-long tunnel was built by the Border Roads Organisation and it connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley, providing all-weather connectivity to the landlocked valley region of Lahaul-Spiti district, which remains closed between November and April due to the Rohtang Pass being completely snow-clad.
