'Who are you shielding?': Congress slams Dushyant Gautam's Governor appointment
Pawan Khera and Rahul Gandhi protest Dushyant Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor, citing the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
The political atmosphere in New Delhi has reached a boiling point following the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the central government, alleging that the appointment bypasses the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.
Pawan Khera questions government's motives
Congress leader Pawan Khera expressed deep outrage over the decision, questioning why the government is moving so swiftly to grant a constitutional position to a person linked to a high-profile criminal investigation. Speaking to the media, Khera suggested that the government is actively attempting to provide immunity to certain individuals.
"You aren’t even waiting for the CBI inquiry. What is the pressure to wrap this up so quickly? Who are you shielding?" Khera asked, adding that the ruling party seems to have lost its sense of fear regarding public opinion and upcoming elections.
Khera further remarked that when those in power lose their fear of accountability, the common people are the ones who suffer. He accused the authorities of siding with the accused rather than standing with the victim, making justice feel like a "distant dream."
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi join the protest
The controversy moved to the heart of the capital as Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with the grieving parents of Ankita Bhandari. The family has been staging a sit-in protest at India Gate to voice their opposition to Gautam's appointment.
The family is demanding an immediate halt to the constitutional posting, citing alleged connections to the murder case. They argue that no individual facing such serious allegations should be elevated to a high constitutional office while a central investigation is pending.
A plea to the President
Virendra Singh Bhandari, the father of the deceased Ankita, made an emotional appeal to the highest office in the country. He urged the President of India to intervene and prevent the appointment until the legal process is fully resolved.
"Dushyant Kumar should be behind bars. I earnestly request the Honourable President not to appoint Dushyant Kumar as Governor until the CBI investigation is concluded," Bhandari stated during the demonstration.
The Ankita Bhandari murder case: A timeline
The case that has triggered this political storm dates back to September 2022, when the brutal murder of Ankita Bhandari shocked the nation. The details of the crime include:
- September 18, 2022: The murder of Ankita Bhandari occurred.
- September 24, 2022: Her body was recovered from the Chilla Canal.
- The Investigation: Authorities arrested resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, along with two staff members, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta.
- The Verdict: On May 30, 2025, Additional District Judge Reena Negi in Kotdwar sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for murder and the destruction of evidence.
Despite the convictions in the lower court, the political fallout from Dushyant Kumar Gautam's new role as Governor of Sikkim continues to intensify, with the opposition demanding total transparency and the completion of the CBI inquiry.