Congress revives Ankita Bhandari case

Party’s Uttarakhand unit has taken to the streets against the state government.

The Congress party has become active once again regarding the high-profile Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand. The sit-in protest staged by Ankita’s parents in Delhi has heated up the political climate, spanning from Uttarakhand to Sikkim. Protests have erupted in Uttarakhand against Dushyant Gautam, against whom a whisper campaign has been going on, although nothing has been proved in the investigation. However, there is speculation that his appointment as Governor—ostensibly because he is a Dalit—could prove costly for the BJP in Uttarakhand. Following the support extended by top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Ankita’s parents, the party’s Uttarakhand unit has united and taken to the streets against the Puskar Singh Dhami government. Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat even courted arrest. The Congress has announced a plan to lay siege to the Legislative Assembly in Gairsain on October 27, as part of a sustained protest campaign. Party in-charge Kumari Selja participated in a demonstration on Friday and joined in the vociferous protests.