Dehradun: The state BJP leaders today demanded the removal of Uttarakhand forest minister Dinesh Agarwal for “travelling” to Nepal last Thursday without Union government’s approval. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Ajay Bhatt and several other BJP members met Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi and submitted a memorandum in this regard. “If there was any attack on the state minister during his travel to Nepal, who would be held responsible,” Bhatt said, adding, “If a state Cabinet minister is not aware of his own responsibility, he should immediately be removed from his post.”
However, negating the allegation, Agarwal said he had crossed the border to survey a bridge in the state, of which the BJP is making an issue. The minister added that since he was in-charge of Pithoragarh district, he visited Jhulaghat area there last Thursday to listen to the problems faced by the people after the 2013 deluge in the state. “I was told that the bridge joining Nepal and India was badly damaged by 2013 floods following which I crossed into Nepal and also spoke to the people there for five minutes,” Agarwal said.
