New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday joined the parents of Ankita Bhandari at India Gate as they pressed for a fresh and unhindered probe into the 2022 murder of their daughter, turning the appointment of a senior BJP leader as Sikkim governor into a flashpoint. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders accompanied him.
Ankita, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, was murdered in September 2022.
Her parents have been demanding that Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor be kept in abeyance until the CBI completes its investigation into the alleged involvement of a “VIP” in the case.
‘VIP Accused Rewarded’
After meeting the family, Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the BJP in a post on X, alleging that while Ankita’s family had waited four years for justice, an accused with political connections had received protection and a constitutional post.
“Where rapists and murderers are welcomed with garlands and criminals are honoured with the power of authority — no hope can be expected from such a misogynistic BJP either,” Gandhi said.
“Today, Ankita’s parents, carrying the plea for justice for their daughter, are sitting at India Gate, miles away from their home. I and the Congress Party stand with them — in their grief as well as in this fight for justice,” he added.
Appeal To President
Ankita’s mother broke down during the protest and directly appealed to the Centre and President Droupadi Murmu to stop Gautam’s appointment until the investigation is over. “Dushyant Gautam should not be appointed governor until the CBI investigation is complete,” she said.
Her father alleged that an unidentified VIP had played a decisive role in his daughter’s killing and accused Gautam of being responsible. Gautam has rejected the allegations and has initiated defamation proceedings against those making them.
The family has also sought time with President Murmu to place its concerns before her. It warned that if no appointment was granted, it would begin a hunger strike outside the Uttarakhand chief minister’s office at the Secretariat in Dehradun, as reported by The New Indian Express.
What Triggered Protest
Ankita worked at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh. She was killed on September 18, 2022, and her body was found in the Chilla canal four days later.
Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two others were convicted in the murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment. But questions over the alleged role of a VIP have kept the case politically alive.
Gautam, a former BJP national general secretary and the party’s former in-charge for Uttarakhand, was appointed Sikkim governor on Monday. The Uttarakhand Congress has opposed the move, claiming Gautam’s name figured in connection with the case. The party alleged that the appointment was meant to protect him because a governor cannot face criminal proceedings while holding office.