‘Ankita Bhandari case reeks of BJP leaders’ involvement… Dhami govt evading CBI probe for 3 yrs’: state Cong chief

Amid the current wave of protests which have swept through Uttarakhand to seek justice in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the Congress has stepped up its offensive against the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led BJP government. Newly appointed state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal, 59, recently launched a statewide “Nyay Yatra” for the cause of Bhandari. Ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, the Congress is attempting to capitalise on the outrage ignited by the issue. Godiyal speaks to The Indian Express about the Bhandari case and his party’s stand and roadmap, among other issues. Excerpts: You have been named in the defamation suit filed by a senior BJP leader whose name has been allegedly linked to the Ankita Bhandari murder case. Also, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has alleged there is a bid to sensationalise the case by the Congress. How do you see this row?

We were responding to the content (audio clips in which a senior BJP leader was purportedly identified as the alleged VIP to whom Bhandari had denied sexual favours before her murder) released by a former BJP MLA’s wife. They brought it up, and we remarked that such serious allegations should be looked into by the government. The court has ordered what it deems fit, and we are demanding a probe into the newly surfaced names. I am a party to the suit and will face it as it unfolds.

Regarding the CM’s accusations of conspiracy because we conducted a press conference in Delhi, I was in Delhi when these clips were published and had to be there for longer, so we conducted a press conference there. Delhi is in this country; I have not gone abroad to speak on the issue. If they are accusing us of conspiracy, they should prove it with the investigating agencies they have under their control.

How will your Nyay Yatra demanding justice in the case mobilise people against the government’s alleged inaction?

Through the yatra, we went to every block in each district to inform the citizens about how the government is being apathetic to our demands and sentiments. Being a political party, it is our responsibility to reach people and make them aware of the workings of the government.

Several civil society organisations have called for a bandh on January 11, and we have extended support to it. We have requested people to join in support of the peaceful and nonviolent protests.

The entire state is concerned about the case because it reeks of the involvement of senior BJP leaders. The government has been evading a CBI probe for more than three years, and it needs to be investigated. Now, the CM has said he will listen to Ankita’s parents, but they have been demanding a CBI probe under the supervision of a judge since the beginning.

How prepared is the Congress to take on the BJP in the 2027 Assembly polls?

The misery, unemployment, callousness by the government, the arrogance of the BJP – these are the major issues we will take up ahead of the election. There is anger against the ruling party, and we will present these issues to the people.

Power has gone to the BJP leaders’ heads. The state BJP president recently dismissed protests demanding justice for Ankita, saying that had it been an issue, people would not have voted for the party in every election since 2022 (when she was murdered). They have implied that the party remains unscathed by the accusations emerging in the case. Isn’t this arrogance? People will respond to this by defeating them.

What do you think have been the biggest failings of the BJP government over the last nine years, and how do you plan to address them, if elected?

The biggest failures are in the law and order situation and increased corruption. The cities in Uttarakhand are among those with high rates of crimes against women. There is a rise in drug abuse, and it has pervaded educational institutions under the watch of the police. We believe that if the government sets a clean record and works efficiently, the system below it will emulate it. If the top brass is mired in corruption, the officials will replicate that model.

Another important issue is that of unemployment. Our state is rich in biodiversity, forests and natural resources, and in such a region, the issue of rampant unemployment should never have arisen. We can employ lakhs of people through tourism, in mini hydropower projects, and in sectors tapping renewable energy like solar power.

We have been out of power for nine years, and we have been working consistently so we can resolve these problems once we come to power. We have identified 40 Assembly constituencies (of a total 70) in the hills where we have found that at least 10,000 families from each of these Assembly segments can be employed in different fields. We have sketched out a blueprint to achieve that end.

If elected, will you repeal contentious legislation such as the amended anti-conversion law, Uniform Civil Code, or Minority Education Act?

When we get elected, the first decision will be to repeal the provisions legitimising live-in relationships under the UCC. This is a blot on our culture. We will study the merits and demerits of UCC and the aftermath of the implementation. The state is reeling under an unemployment crisis, and these pieces of legislation by the Dhami government have had little effect on solving real issues. Their own children are sent abroad, and our children are being taught that love jihad and thook (spit) jihad (coined by Dhami) are the challenges.

The land law (prohibiting “outsiders” from buying agricultural land in 11 of the state’s 13 districts outside the municipal limits) is toothless. On the one hand, they claim the land law keeps people out, and on the other, Ramdev and his aides are being sold swathes of land at George Everest Estate. The government is throwing dust in people’s eyes.

Regarding the Minority Education Act, we will consult with the stakeholders. We will assess what this law will mean to the people it aims to address and proceed accordingly.

Is the Congress’s alliance with smaller parties for the coming elections a possibility?

Our political affairs committee has jurisdiction over this, and it has yet to decide on it.