Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 11 Jul: The controversy over appointments in the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has escalated into a political slugfest, with BJP and Congress trading sharp accusations. BJP state spokesperson Vinod Chamoli on Saturday alleged that the personal assistant of BKTC, recently suspended in connection with the offerings theft case, was permanently appointed in 2014 during the tenure of Ganesh Godiyal as chairman of the committee. Chamoli asserted that responsibility lies squarely with Godiyal, who should apologise for regularising an employee later found guilty of theft. He added that the government has always been sensitive towards religious places and has initiated action in the matter.
On the other hand, Congress state president and former BKTC chairman Ganesh Godiyal hit back, dismissing Chamoli’s remarks as baseless and absurd. He said that during his tenure, the process of regularising employees was carried out strictly in accordance with the prevalent policy and rules, without any pick-and-choose approach. He explained that several employees who had been working for years in the committee were made permanent under a uniform policy. Taking a jibe at Chamoli’s demand for an apology, Godiyal remarked that it was akin to saying if someone is found guilty in the Smart City case, then their parents should apologise for their birth.
