Gangtok, Oct 16 Opposition parties in Sikkim on Friday objected to the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the state’s new governor, following allegations that he was the “VIP” who sought favours from Ankita Bhandari, a hotel receptionist in Uttarakhand, before she was killed in 2022.
The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) called his appointment an “insult” to Sikkimese women, while the Congress staged a protest in Gangtok demanding his recall until the CBI completes its investigation into the death of Bhandari.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gautam, a former BJP national general secretary, Governor on October 12. His appointment has triggered protests and criticism in several places, including Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Delhi.
In a video statement, SDF women’s wing in-charge Komal Chamling said the party stood with Bhandari’s parents and demanded that Gautam’s appointment be withdrawn until the CBI concludes its probe.
“We would like to make our stand very, very clear that we stand with Ankita Bhandari’s parents,” Chamling said.
Bhandari’s parents, who were on a sit-in at India Gate in New Delhi on Wednesday, were detained early the next day and were released after about an hour.
Questioning the Centre’s decision, she asked whether it believed the people of Sikkim were “docile” and would accept decisions imposed on them without raising their voices.
“Is this not a recipe for a disaster in a geopolitically border-sensitive state like Sikkim?” she asked.
Chamling said Gautam, who was appointed the governor of Sikkim on October 12, should not be given gubernatorial responsibilities in any state until the CBI investigation is completed.
She also raised concerns over frequent changes in the gubernatorial post in Sikkim, pointing out that the state had seen four governors in the last seven years.
The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) staged a protest at the district court premises in Gangtok on Friday, demanding the cancellation of Gautam’s appointment pending the outcome of the CBI investigation.
SPCC president Gopal Chettri said the people of Sikkim should not remain silent over what he described as illegal activities by the BJP in the Himalayan state.
He demanded that the concerns raised by Bhandari’s parents be addressed.
“Such a tainted person to be holding such an important post is a slap on the Constitution of India and his elevation as governor should be revoked immediately,” Chettri said.
Meanwhile, the Sikkim University Students’ Association (SUSA) urged the government to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as the governor of the state.
“SUSA appeals to the Government of Sikkim and the general public to remain informed and exercise due diligence regarding the background, public record and circumstances surrounding the appointment of individuals to important constitutional positions,” the association said in a statement.
Bhandari, 19, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, was killed on September 18, 2022. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two accomplices were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The case drew political attention over allegations that an unidentified VIP was linked to the crime. Bhandari’s family and activists have called for an investigation into this angle, with Gautam’s name being raised in connection with the allegations.
Gautam has denied the allegations and initiated defamation proceedings against those making them.
In a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that no criminal proceedings can be instituted or continued against a governor and appointing Gautam as governor places him “out of reach” of the CBI, which is probing the case.
(PTI News)
