Dushyant Gautam to Take Oath as Sikkim Governor Amid Storm of Controversy
Dushyant Gautam takes oath as Sikkim Governor amid fierce protests and controversy surrounding the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
Dushyant Gautam is set to officially assume charge as the Governor of Sikkim on October 19, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Lok Bhawan in Gangtok, where the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court will administer the oath of office. This appointment follows a decision by President Droupadi Murmu on October 12, as Gautam steps into the role previously held by Om Prakash Mathur, who has been transferred to Kerala.
Protests Erupt in Uttarakhand
While the transition in Sikkim proceeds, the appointment has sparked a political firestorm in Uttarakhand. Congress leaders recently launched a massive protest outside the main gate of Lok Bhavan in Dehradun, voicing their strong opposition to Gautam—a former BJP Uttarakhand in-charge—being appointed to this constitutional post.
The fallout from these protests has been swift. An FIR has been registered against former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and 30 other Congress leaders. Furthermore, legal action has been taken against Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal, along with Harak Singh Rawat and Pritam Singh, under sections 132 and 223 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023.
The Shadow of the Ankita Bhandari Case
The core of the controversy lies in the tragic 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari. Ankita was killed on September 18, 2022, and her body was discovered in the Chilla Canal on September 24. The case sent shockwaves through the state, leading to a CBI investigation that is still ongoing.
Kumari Selja, a Congress MP and AICC in-charge for Uttarakhand, has launched a scathing attack on the BJP, alleging that the government has appointed an individual whose name has surfaced in connection with the Bhandari case. She asserted that such a move shows a "complete disregard for democracy and justice."
"Congress was actually the first party to raise Ankita Bhandari's case... Today, the BJP government just picks one of those names and makes him the Governor," Selja stated, questioning why individuals facing public scrutiny are being assigned high constitutional roles.
Calls for Reconsideration
The controversy has reached the highest levels of political discourse. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has formally urged President Droupadi Murmu to reconsider Dushyant Gautam's appointment. Gandhi has called for the appointment to be put on hold until the investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case is fully completed.