Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Jan: Uttarakhand Congress has intensified its statewide agitation demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the Ankita Bhandari murder case under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court. Led by Pradesh Congress Committee President Ganesh Godiyal, the party has launched a series of protests and demonstrations across the state, with senior leaders taking to the streets to mobilise public opinion and press for justice for the victim.
As part of the movement, Ganesh Godiyal yesterday led a large procession and ‘Justice for Ankita’ foot march in Nandprayag, Chamoli and Gopeshwar to sensitise people on the issue. Parallel agitations were held in different parts of the state. Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat led a foot march in the Bhagwanpur Assembly constituency, Piran Kaliyar and Roorkee, while former Pradesh Congress Committee President Karan Mahra spearheaded the protest in Ranikhet. Chairman of the Pradesh Election Campaign Committee Pritam Singh organised extensive demonstrations and foot marches across several wards in Dehradun.
Addressing public gatherings in Nandprayag, Chamoli and Gopeshwar, Godiyal declared that the Congress movement would continue relentlessly until the BJP government announces a CBI investigation into the case under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge. He said Congress workers would remain on the streets until the daughter of Uttarakhand is delivered justice and the government is compelled to order a fair and transparent inquiry. He pointed out that the Congress party had, on 30 December last month, sought clarifications from the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) on specific aspects of the case, but the state police have so far failed to respond to even a single query.
Godiyal also expressed strong resentment over the conduct of the police, stating that while they maintained silence on the questions raised by the Congress, they acted with remarkable alacrity in lodging an FIR against Congress members by taking immediate cognisance of a letter written by BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam, who, he claimed, has been described as a VIP in connection with the case. Godiyal alleged that had the police demonstrated similar urgency in thoroughly investigating the murder and disclosing the identity of the VIP without succumbing to pressure from the BJP government, the people of the state would not have been compelled to come out on the streets in protest.
At the same time, under the leadership of the former President of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and Congress Working Committee Member Karan Mahara, the ‘Justice for Ankita Bhandari Yatra’ was organised today in Ranikhet. The justice march saw a massive turnout of common citizens, women, youth, elders, and Congress workers from various villages, neighbourhoods, and markets across Ranikhet, who united their voices to demand justice for Uttarakhand’s daughter, Ankita Bhandari.
Addressing the yatra on this occasion, Karan Mahara launched a scathing attack on the BJP government, claiming that the murder of Ankita Bhandari is not merely a heinous crime but a deep blot on the security system meant for the daughters of Uttarakhand. He remarked that it is extremely unfortunate that the BJP government is preventing the truth from coming to light even today, solely to protect those in power and the so-called VVIPs.
Mahara further asserted that the manner in which evidence was destroyed immediately after the incident, the attempts to erase the crime scene using bulldozers, the changing statements of administrative officials, and the overall effort to weaken the case clearly demonstrate that the government stands with the perpetrators rather than the grieving family.
