PCC Chief waits in vain as BKTC Chairman skips public debate on Badrinath donation row
By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 14 Jul: The alleged theft of offerings and financial irregularities at Badrinath Dham have now snowballed into a major political controversy in Uttarakhand, with the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) Chairman Hemant Dwivedi and Uttarakhand Congress President and former BKTC Chairman Ganesh Godiyal being locked in a bitter war of words. As accusations and counter-accusations intensify, the issue has turned into a political battleground, drawing sharp reactions from both sides.
It may also be reminded here that Hemant Dwivedi had challenged Godiyal for a public debate on the allegations and the counter allegations which Godiyal accepted and in response arrived at the Press Club for the debate. However, Dwivedi chose to skip the so called debate.
Addressing a press conference at the Uttaranchal Press Club here today, Ganesh Godiyal demanded the resignation of the BKTC Chairman and alleged that attempts are being made to deflect attention from the present management’s failures by raising questions about his tenure. He said the allegations levelled against him are an attempt to conceal wrongdoing and asserted that it was the responsibility of the government to prove any charges made against him.
Godiyal stated that Pramod Nautiyal was not on duty during his tenure and clarified that Nautiyal’s appointment was made in the year 2003. He questioned that, if an inquiry had been conducted against Nautiyal, where was the inquiry report and why no action has been taken so far. He alleged that the government is trying to shield certain people within the BKTC and reiterated his earlier demand that a committee under the chairmanship of the Leader of the Opposition should be constituted in the Assembly to conduct an impartial investigation.
Referring to a recent statement by former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat that the Devsthanam Board had been constituted after dissolving the BKTC in view of such issues, Godiyal remarked that merely dissolving a board does not improve the system. He said it is the administration’s responsibility to ensure better governance and transparency rather than shifting structures to escape accountability.
Godiyal asserted that no such incident had surfaced during his tenure and held both the BKTC Chairman and the CM responsible for the damage caused to his reputation, alleging that there have been attempts to suppress the matter. He accused the BKTC leadership of levelling allegations against him to hide their own lapses and claimed that the government is using his name as a shield instead of correcting its mistakes.
It may be recalled that the controversy gained further momentum after Hemant Dwivedi publicly challenged Godiyal to a debate. Godiyal alleged that despite issuing the challenge, the BKTC Chairman did not reach the Press Club at the scheduled time of 12.30 p.m. During the press conference, Godiyal pointed to an empty chair placed beside him and said that while the Congress has arrived with facts and documents, the other side failed to turn up. He stated that a person who throws a public challenge for debate and then does not appear at the appointed time weakens his own credibility.
He said discussions are already taking place on social media and he had suggested that both sides should come together on a common platform to present their respective positions and clarify allegations. While he reached the venue at the designated time and put forward his arguments, the BKTC Chairman did not attend. Godiyal added that he is prepared to participate in a debate on any public platform provided prior notice is given.
Clarifying issues related to Pramod Nautiyal’s service record, Godiyal said the appointment was made in 2003 and that during the BJP government’s tenure in 2010, a proposal for regularisation was sent to the government. He further claimed that in 2014 the regularisation received approval at the government level. Therefore, linking the appointment and regularisation to the Congress was misleading and factually incorrect.
Godiyal emphasised that the real question was not when a particular employee was appointed, but during whose tenure the alleged theft of donation money and financial irregularities at Badrinath Dham occurred. He said that if CCTV footage shows bundles of currency notes going missing and raises questions regarding the security of temple donations, then accountability lies with the present government and the current BKTC management. He alleged that the BJP often targets Congress leaders in major controversies to divert attention from its own responsibilities and pointed out that the BJP has been in power in the state with a full majority for the past nine years. If there were irregularities during his tenure, he asked why no action had been taken until now.
The PCC Chief also referred to the construction of the Binsar temple in Pauri during his tenure and stated that building or renovating a temple cannot be termed unethical. He explained that the Binsar temple, originally established by Shankaracharya, was in a dilapidated condition and local residents had demanded its restoration. A formal proposal was brought before the BKTC board, which included nominated members appointed during the BJP government’s tenure. He alleged that after the Congress lost the 2017 Assembly elections and the BJP assumed power, the temple construction work was halted through the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in Pauri. By the time the work was stopped, around Rs 9 lakhs had already been spent, while the total project estimate was between Rs 2.5 crores and Rs 3 crores. Subsequently, the Trivendra Rawat government dissolved the BKTC and implemented the Devsthanam Board, which later decided in a board meeting to proceed with the temple construction.
Stressing that the faith of Devbhoomi is paramount, Godiyal said ensuring the safety of donations offered by devotees in temples is the foremost responsibility of the government and the temple committee. He demanded a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation into the entire episode and strict action against those found guilty. He also claimed that the Congress neither shies away from facts nor from debate and is ready to answer every question with documentary evidence, but the ruling party must also respond to questions concerning the alleged theft and the security of temple offerings.
Meanwhile, in the Badrinath donation theft case, Chamoli Police have already sent private assistant Pramod Nautiyal to jail yesterday. A committee constituted at the government level has also reached Badrinath to conduct an inquiry, and Commissioner Anand Swaroop will lead the investigation. It remains to be seen which key aspects will fall within the scope of the government’s probe and what conclusions emerge from the ongoing inquiry.
