PCC Chief & BKTC Chairman trade charges on alleged Badrinath donation row
By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 15 Jul: The political row over the alleged theft of offerings at the Badrinath Temple intensified today, with the BJP and the Congress stepping up their war of words. A day after Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee Chief (PCC) Ganesh Godiyal addressed a press conference at Uttaranchal Press Club yesterday, Badri-Kedar Temple Committee Chairman Hemant Dwivedi also chose to respond and addressed a press conference at the BKTC office here today. Responding to allegations levelled by Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal and his charge that he was avoiding a public debate, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) Chairman Hemant Dwivedi hit back, asserting that Badrinath and Kedarnath are centres of faith for crores of devotees and that issues relating to these temples cannot be debated on the streets or at any other public venue. He said Godiyal should come to the courts of Lord Badri Vishal and Baba Kedar and answer the allegations there.
Dwivedi strongly refuted Godiyal’s allegation that he had deployed accused employee Pramod Nautiyal on offering counting duty, stating that Nautiyal had been assigned to the counting duty since April 2025, when he himself was not holding the office of BKTC Chairman. Dwivedi further asserted that under the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Act, the temple fund cannot be utilised for development works outside the Committee’s jurisdiction. He pointed out that Binsar Temple and the Shiva Temple at Pokhari do not fall under the BKTC, yet financial assistance had been provided for their renovation during Godiyal’s tenure. Referring to Godiyal’s claim that the Board had approved such expenditure, Dwivedi alleged that the proposal had been passed in the presence of only three members and that documentary evidence to this effect was available. He also stated that although the post of Personal Assistant had existed in the BKTC since 1983, Pramod Nautiyal had been promoted to the position in violation of the prescribed rules.
Dwivedi accused the Congress of politicising the issue while maintaining that whoever is found guilty should be punished strictly in accordance with the law. He once again challenged Godiyal to a public debate based on facts and documentary evidence.
Dwivedi said that immediately after the matter had come to light, the employee concerned was suspended, an FIR was lodged and the government ordered a high-level inquiry. He said separate investigations are also underway by the police and the department and no person found guilty would be spared.
Asked whether he would resign in the wake of the controversy, particularly in the context of questions raised over the resignation of Ayodhya Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, Dwivedi ruled out stepping down. He added that BKTC is not a franchise. He is not resigning; but discharging his responsibility. He added that maintaining the faith of devotees remained his foremost responsibility.
Dwivedi also claimed that the employee at the centre of the controversy had been regularised in 2014 during the tenure of the then Congress government. He said the government had sanctioned 34 posts in the Temple Committee in 2012, including that of Internet Coordinator, following which the services of several temporary employees, including the employee concerned, were regularised. He alleged that after regularisation, the employee was granted a higher pay scale and grade pay in violation of the rules.
Rejecting the Congress allegations, Dwivedi clarified that deployment of employees during the Char Dham Yatra is carried out strictly according to the roster prepared by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and not by the Chairman. He said describing the employee as part of the Chairman’s personal staff is factually incorrect.
Dwivedi also levelled serious allegations against the previous Congress government, claiming that provisions of the BKTC Act had been violated during its tenure by utilising the Committee’s funds for purposes unrelated to the temples. He alleged that money from the Temple Committee’s funds had been sanctioned for development works in an Assembly constituency, renovation of a temple in Chamoli district and construction of a road in Tehri district. He further alleged that certain decisions had been taken at Board meetings without the due quorum required under the Act.
Responding to allegations regarding delay in lodging the FIR and claims that the accused employee had been given a clean chit, Dwivedi said that as soon as the matter came to his notice on 3 July, he directed the Chief Executive Officer to conduct an immediate inquiry, preserve CCTV footage and other electronic evidence, and issue a notice to the employee concerned.
The BKTC Chairman again categorically denied giving any clean chit to the employee and said the government’s stand is absolutely clear. Appropriate legal action would be taken against those found guilty after the inquiry report is received. He added that, if any irregularities have occurred during previous tenures, they too should be investigated.
Dwivedi said the Char Dham shrines are centres of faith for crores of devotees and that the temple administration would be made more transparent and technologically robust to further strengthen public confidence.
Referring to the challenge issued by Ganesh Godiyal yesterday, Dwivedi said that since the matter related to Badrinath Dham, the debate should also take place there. Reiterating his challenge, he said he was prepared for a public debate based on documentary evidence, with Badrinath and Kedarnath Dhams as witnesses. He said Godiyal could decide the date and time, while he proposed the two shrines as the venue.
