Has sheen coming off the persona of ‘Dhakkad Dhami’ in Uttarakhand ?       

Has sheen coming off the persona of ‘Dhakkad Dhami’ in Uttarakhand ?

S.M.A.KAZMI

Dehradun, Sept 5

Since he was selected as the best and most popular Chief Minister of the country by a media group recently, the going has not been smooth for the youthful Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who is referred as “Dhakkad Dhami’ (Dashing Dhami ) by the pliant media of the state. The stringent observations by a bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday against him on the issue of appointment of Director, Rajaji National Park  is another personal embarrassment for him and his state BJP government.

Interestingly, apart from the Supreme Court remarks in which the honourable Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar mishra and K.V.Vishwanathan took strong exception to the Chief Minister’s actions and emphasised the importance of the public trust doctrine. “We are not in afuedal era jahan job hi raja bole ( we are not in a fuedal era where whatever the king says) atleast there should have been  some application of mind with reasons in writing when he differed from his minister and his Chief Secretary . Just because he is Chief minister can he do anything? Either that officer should be exonerated or the departmental proceedings dropped. There is smoothing called public trust doctrine,” the court reportedly remarked, as per media reports. Even before the Apex Court took up the case on Wednesday, Dhami ordered the removal of Rahul, an IFS officer as Director of Rajaji National Park. Dhami has appointed Rahul on the post against the advice of his minister and Chief Secretary.

Another trouble which awaits Dhami is the disproportionate assets case regarding his cabinet colleague Ganesh Joshi. A special vigilance court has asked the Uttarakhand state cabinet to grant permission about registration of a case against the minister. Vikesh Singh Negi, an advocate and RTI activist has approached the court against cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi, accusing him of amassing wealth disproportionate to his income.

The special vigilance court has sought the permission of the council of ministers to register a case against Joshi after finding evidence during the investigation. Interestingly, Vikesh Negi who had raised the alleged corruption in the construction of “Sainik Dham”, a memorial for soldiers, a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi  was externed from Dehradun district by the police in the month of July 2024. However, his externment order was cancelled by Garhwal Commissioner few days ago. After returning back to Dehradun , he again put up an application in special vigilance court seeking justice.   of been taking up However, with no action being taken, Negi has again knocked on the doors of the court, seeking justice in the matter.

Special Vigilance court Judge Manish Mishra  said , “While the present case is to be examined under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, a scrutiny of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Dr Subramanian Swamy vs. Dr. Manmohan Singh and others (2012) SC 1185 reveals that the apex court has fixed a time limit of three months for any prosecution sanction. Therefore, in my opinion, the case should be referred to the Council of Ministers, and we should await their decision till October 8, 2024.” Dhami cabinet has to take a tough decision about his cabinet colleague that too on corruption charges.

Chief Minister Dhami is also drawing flak from two former Chief Minister namely Trivendra Singh Rawat  and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank following allegations levelled by a controversial independent legislator regarding an alleged conspiracy by the Gupta brothers of South Africa fame to topple the state BJP government with money worth Rs.500 crores.

Umesh.J. Kumar, an independent legislator from Khanpur in Haridwar district, who himself has a controversial past, on the floor of the house on August 22,2024 charged that an attempt was made to topple the state BJP government by Gupta brothers  who allegedly were willing to spent Rs.500 crore for the ‘Operation Topple’. He asked the state government and the Chief Minister to probe the matter. Later, when asked, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the matter would be probed.  One of the Gupta brother along with his brother-in law are in Dehradun jail in connection with abetment to murder of their business partner.

The allegations created a storm in the internal politics of state ruling BJP which had been relatively silent since the state assembly elections of 2022 in which Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emerged victorious and politically strong. However, the internal dynamics of Uttarakhand BJP has also undergone a change following election of former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat from Haridwar and Anil Baluni, national media incharge of BJP from Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seats.

Political observers believe that the allegations against Gupta Brothers were actually aimed at different targets within the BJP. The strong reaction by two BJP former Chief Ministers point towards this reality.

Two former Chief Ministers namely Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Trivendra Singh Rawat have come out strongly against the allegations and sought an inquiry and action into the matter. Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat has also joined the chorus of seeking an inquiry into the matter.

The allegations and the reactions it invited would have serious repercussions within the ruling BJP since Umesh Kumar, a journalist turned politician is considered close to Chief Minister Dhami and former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari camp in BJP. Trivendra Singh Rawat annoyed with the Chief minister has even raised questions about the law and order situation in the state where two of the senior BJP office bearers have been booked on the charges of rape in Kumoan region and daylight dacoity shook Haridwar two days ago.

Moreover, the fact that both Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Trivendra Singh Rawat  while being  Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand during their tenures had running feud with Umesh. J.Kumar, then  a journalist. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had him externed from the state while Trivendra Singh rawat jailed him. Similarly, Umesh.J.Kumar recorded the famous sting of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat during the political upheaval of 2016 following switch over of ten Congress legislators, with a bid to topple his government.

Interestingly, the allegations have more to do with internal Uttarakhand BJP politics than anything else. There had been talk of realignment of forces in the state ruling party after the election of former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Anil Baluni, national media incharge of BJP as Lok Sabha members from Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal respectively. There had been rumors of lobbying against the Chief Ministers as state BJP leaders including ministers made a beeline to meet central ministers including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The communal trouble in Chamoli following an alleged incident of eve-teasing by a Muslim youth had triggered violent protests by Hindutva forces where shops owned by minority community members were attacked, ransacked and looted and their families made to flee at Nandghat in Chamoli district. The ruling BJP recently lost both the assembly seats of Mangalore and Badrinath in the bye-elections to main opposition Congress while another bye-election for Kedarnath seat is also due by year end.

It seemed that the sheen is coming off the persona of ‘Dhakkad Dhami’ who faces the harsh ground realities in the coming days.