By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 May: Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee President Ganesh Godiyal today addressed a press conference at the party’s state headquarters here today. During the press conference, Godiyal launched a sharp attack on the government and claimed that even the BJP MLAs are not safe under the BJP Government. He asked when even the BJP MLAs are not safe under the party’s regime, then who will take responsibility for the safety of the common people.
Godiyal also claimed that, for the past three days, he has been seeking an appointment with the Governor on a matter of grave importance, but under political influence, he has not been granted time. Consequently, he has chosen to bring the issue before the government through the media.
Godiyal referred to a letter that is currently viral on social media, allegedly written by BJP MLA from Gadarpur, Arvind Pandey, that raises serious questions about the government. Godiyal reminded that the letter has been written by BJP’s Arvind Pandey and that it bears his signature and has been issued on his official letterhead. Although the name of the addressee had been blackened out, the language used clearly indicated to whom it was addressed. Godiyal stressed that the contents of the letter are so serious that a judicial inquiry becomes essential to uphold public trust.
In the letter, Pandey has alleged that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been conspiring against him for the past four years. He claimed that under Dhami’s influence, a false case was registered against him at Bazpur police station on 13 March 2025, and again on 20 January 2026, a fabricated land-grabbing case was filed against his family, including his 68-year-old brother-in-law who is physically disabled and his sister who is battling cancer. In this letter, Pandey allegedly claims some favoured police officers are being used to exert pressure on him and his family, while certain businessmen involved in stone crushing and mining have also been set against him. He also accused the government of spreading misleading reports through pliant media outlets suggesting that he was leaving the BJP or resigning.
Godiyal highlighted Pandey’s alleged charge that Dhami is promoting political factionalism and orchestrating economic and social conspiracies against him. He expressed grave concern over Pandey’s revelation that the CM had links with notorious criminal Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, convicted in the murder of businessmen Ponty Chadha and Hardeep Chadha, who had served eight years in jail and whose case is still pending in the Supreme Court. Godiyal reminds that in this alleged letter, Pandey has claimed that such criminals are being used to hold press conferences against him and spread false news of his expulsion, while the son of Namdhari has even been appointed as a minister of state.
Godiyal demanded that the authenticity of the letter be investigated under judicial supervision in the interest of the state. He said that a state built on the sacrifices of martyrs cannot be handed over to criminals, and only a transparent probe could separate truth from falsehood. He warned that, if a legislator does not feel secure in the state, the plight of the common citizen can only be imagined.
Among those present at the press conference were Badrinath MLA Lakhpat Singh Butola, Pradesh Mahila Congress president Jyoti Rautela, spokesperson Dr Pratima Singh, Abhinav Thapar, Manju Tripathi and Amrendra Bisht.
