New Delhi:
On Monday, Dushyant Gautam, a former BJP National General Secretary and former president of the party's Scheduled Caste Morcha, was appointed Governor of Sikkim.
A day later, on Tuesday, the Congress protested against the appointment, alleging that Dushyant Gautam's name had cropped up in the alleged murder of Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old resort receptionist in Uttarakhand, whose body was recovered from a canal in September 2022.
The BJP, in turn, pointed out the case of Congress MP A Bimol Akoijam, who was dismissed by Jawaharlal Nehru University over allegations of sexual harassment of 11 female students following an inquiry under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework.
Uttarakhand BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan questioned Congress's silence over Congress MP being accused of sexual harassment by JNU students.
"State Congress leaders need not resort to sit-ins and fasts for political gain while feeling ashamed; rather, they should speak out against Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh and Ajay Rai, who make objectionable remarks about women leaders within their own party; leaders who attempt to beat a female colleague with a shoe during a welcome event for a new (party) president in Lucknow, or who force female leaders and spokespersons of their own party to quit through humiliating treatment," said Chauhan.
Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal on Tuesday announced a one-hour silent fast in Dehradun to protest the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as Governor. Godiyal alleged that the appointment is a direct attempt to save Gautam, as no case can be registered against a Governor.
"Appointing as Governor the VIP explicitly named by Ankita Bhandari's parents in the Ankita Bhandari murder case is tantamount to deeply wounding the sentiments of the common people of Uttarakhand," he said.
He further alleged that the CBI probe had made no progress.
"Meanwhile, the CBI investigation has not advanced even an inch, and the CBI has not filed any FIR against the named accused. Appointing such a person to the post of Governor is highly objectionable," he said.
Congress state in-charge Kumari Selja also took to social media to question the decision to appoint Gautam as governor.
"The BJP government has appointed the very VIP - whose name is being cited by Ankita Bhandari's parents as they plead for justice for their daughter - to a constitutional post like that of a Governor. Ideally, the CBI investigation should have proceeded rapidly and an FIR should have been registered against the named accused; instead, the BJP government appointed him Governor," Selja said.
Gautam, a Dalit leader, has held several organisational positions within the BJP and has been associated with initiatives concerning Scheduled Caste communities.
The Ankita Bhandari Case
The Ankita Bhandari case involved allegations that she was being forced to provide sexual favours to guests at a resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader.
The case gained renewed attention after an FIR was registered against an unidentified VIP in January 2026, following allegations and viral audio and video clips referring to the involvement of a VIP.
The Central Bureau of Investigation subsequently registered the case through its Special Crime Branch after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI probe on January 9, 2026.
The CBI has since taken custody of records related to the case, including the Special Investigation Team report, the police FIR and other documents.