By raising the timing of Combined Commander’s Conference, to be hosted at Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun on Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has helped the event gain additional hype and also a political colour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar will attend the meet.

Indian Army and IAF choppers conducted drill from Jollygrant airport to Indian Military Academy in Dehradun on Friday. Harish Rawat is feeling the pinch of the meet as many highlanders are holding top posts in country’s defence forces. Which includes National Security Advisor Ajit Dobha, Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat and RAW chief Anil Dhasmana- all hail from Pauri district in Uttarakhand. 

In poll bound Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat has every reason to suspect any big thing happening in the hill state. Attacking the central government on the Combined Commander’s Conference issue, Rawat has fired over a dozen tweets on his account, since Thursday. 

Harish Rawat tweets,“ Our complaint is that there is an attempt, by BJP, to take political advantage of this Conference.” Another one, “Commanders Conference is a show of strength. It should happen in operational areas. It should happen in Pathankot.” 

And indicating the fear Chief Minister says, “The PM, to take a political advantage, is participating in this Conference.” 

It is a general assumption one member of each family of Garhwal and Kumoan hills serve in the army. Congress has provided the conference a political colour by asking the intention of hosting the meet at Uttarakhand’s capital. They consider it a move to woo armymen. 

BJP has termed the Congress protest low level politics. BJP spokesperson Dr. Devendra Bhasin said, “It is rather sad that Congress looks for political reasons at matter of national security. Congress is suffering from Modi phobia, which haunts the opposition party whole day and night.”

Uttarakhand Police conducted rehearsal with army team in Dehradun on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the prestigious Indian Military academy for the first time.