A memorable rally and homage ceremony were organized in Nainital to mark the death anniversary of Girish Chandra Tiwari, widely known as Girda, the iconic folk singer, songwriter, and people's poet of Uttarakhand. Participants marched from Tallital along the famous Mall Road to CRST Inter College on Saturday, singing Girda's famous revolutionary songs that once energized the Uttarakhand statehood movement. The rally served as a platform to reactivate public conversation around local sovereignty over natural resources—water, forests, and land—and to reflect on the core vision of the mountain state, which many activists feel remains unfulfilled decades after its creation.
Hemlata Tiwari Speaks on Social Issues and Current Governance
Addressing the memorial gathering, Hemlata Tiwari, the wife of the late cultural icon, emphasized that Girda’s compositions were never mere artistic lyrics, but represented the genuine voice and suffering of ordinary citizens. She highlighted that his songs provided moral strength and determination to activists during critical phases of public protests. Reflecting on contemporary issues facing the state, Hemlata Tiwari observed that if Girda were alive today, he would have actively taken to the streets and produced creative works to address systemic problems such as widespread recruitment paper leaks that threaten the future of youth in the region.
Expressing concern over the state administration's attitude, Hemlata Tiwari revealed that the government has provided no financial aid to Girda's family following his passing. She noted with sorrow that the vision of Uttarakhand that her late husband and countless activists sacrificed for has not been realized in reality. Despite achieving separate statehood, rural and mountainous regions continue to struggle with basic necessities, including access to quality education, stable employment opportunities, and healthcare infrastructure.
Demands for Gairsain Capital and Objections to High Court Relocation
Ashish Negi, President of the Central Youth Cell, addressed the gathering and stressed how Girda successfully instilled a sense of duty and affection for the hills among young people. He noted that Girda's central message was that residents must continuously fight to protect their ancestral rights over mountain land, forests, and water sources. Negi asserted that the structural blueprint designed for Uttarakhand during the statehood agitation has been largely sidelined by successive governments.
Elaborating on mountain development, Ashish Negi reiterated long-standing demands for declaring Gairsain as the permanent capital of Uttarakhand, establishing robust institutions directly within the hill districts, and driving administrative development to the remotest villages. He strongly criticized proposals and administrative moves to shift the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani, identifying it as another example of administrative neglect toward hill regions. Negi stated that if Girda were present today, the rhythmic beats of his traditional drum, the hudka, would have reverberated across the valley in protest against moving the High Court away from the hills, forcing authority figures to listen to the people's collective voice.
Original State Blueprint, Ankita Bhandari Case, and Future Activism
Reviewing the historical vision behind the creation of Uttarakhand, Ashish Negi explained that the original statehood philosophy relied on establishing smaller, highly accessible administrative units to ensure rapid grassroots governance. This blueprint envisioned creating four commissionerates, establishing Gairsain as the permanent state capital, securing local rights over natural resources, setting up 23 districts, and creating numerous small administrative blocks. This decentralized approach was designed so that public funds and governance could directly reach village communities rather than accumulating in urban centers.
Highlighting law and order concerns, Ashish Negi raised the controversial Ankita Bhandari murder case, pointing out that crimes against women in the state have been escalating dangerously. He stated that the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal demands complete justice for Ankita Bhandari and urged civil society to unite forcefully against violence and injustice targeted at women. Calling upon the younger generation, Negi urged youth to reject self-interest and adopt a spirit of dedication to protect the cultural identity and natural resources of Uttarakhand, warning that future generations will soon have to launch a fresh wave of public movements to secure their basic rights.
