Rahul, Priyanka meet Ankita Bhandari's family protesting over Sikkim Governor appointment

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi met Ankita Bhandari's parents at India Gate as they protested against Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim governor, demanding that it be put on hold until the CBI investigation is completed.

In Short

• Parents urge President Murmu to halt Gautam's Sikkim governor appointment
• Family demands CBI probe completion before Gautam assumes office
• Ankita's murder case involves alleged VIP angle linked to Gautam

The parents of Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, protested near India Gate in Delhi on Wednesday, demanding that BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor be put on hold until the CBI completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in the case.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at the protest site. Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, said Gautam “should be behind bars” and appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to halt the appointment until the investigation is completed.

Rahul Gandhi expressed solidarity with Ankita's family in a post on X, accusing the BJP of protecting an alleged VIP accused and rewarding him with a constitutional position despite the family's continued fight for justice.

"Four years on, Ankita Bhandari's family has not received justice, but a 'VIP' accused has certainly received protection and the reward of a constitutional post," Rahul Gandhi said.

He further criticised the BJP, alleging that the party had a record of honouring rapists and murderers and rewarding criminals with political power.

Gandhi said Ankita's parents had travelled miles from their home to India Gate to seek justice for their daughter. "I and the Congress party stand with them — in their grief and in this fight for justice," he added.

Ankita Bhandari's parents have appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to put the appointment on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in their daughter's 2022 murder case.

Ankita's parents, Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi, have questioned Gautam's appointment, arguing that the investigation should be completed before he assumes the constitutional post. They have also demanded action against those they allege were involved in the case.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, met the family at the protest site. Congress leaders Imran Partapgarhi, Pawan Khera and Indian Youth Congress president Udey Bhanu Chib also reached India Gate to express their support.

The protest took place amid heightened political tensions over Gautam's appointment. Police personnel at the site said prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) had been imposed in the area.

ANKITA'S PARENTS APPEAL TO PRESIDENT MURMU

Ankita's father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, urged President Murmu not to appoint Gautam as Sikkim governor until the CBI investigation was completed.

"Dushyant Kumar should be behind bars," he said, appealing to the President to ensure that the appointment remained on hold until the investigation concluded.

The family said it had sought an appointment with the President to present its concerns directly.

Ankita's mother, Soni Devi, said the family was deeply distressed after learning on October 12 that Gautam had been named governor. She appealed to President Murmu, saying she hoped the President would understand her anguish.

"We were deeply pained when we heard the news on the 12th that he (BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam) has now been named governor. I appeal to the Honourable President, who is herself a woman and will surely understand my sentiments, to halt the move to appoint this individual as governor until the CBI investigation against him is concluded," she said.

Soni Devi broke down while sitting on the pavement near India Gate as she appealed for the appointment to be put on hold.

The parents also warned that they would stage a hunger strike outside the Uttarakhand chief minister's office at the Secretariat in Dehradun if their demand was not met.

FAMILY RAISES VIP ANGLE IN ANKITA'S MURDER

Ankita Bhandari, 19, worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh. She was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later.

Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and his two accomplices were convicted in the murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case also triggered widespread protests and political controversy over allegations that an unidentified VIP was connected to the circumstances surrounding Ankita's murder. Her family and activists have repeatedly demanded a thorough investigation into this alleged VIP angle.

Ankita's father has alleged that the VIP played a significant role in his daughter's murder and raised Gautam's name in connection with the allegations.

"We have heard that the VIP had a major role in my daughter's murder. Now, the Centre and the Uttarakhand government have appointed Gautam as the governor of Sikkim," he said.

"We humbly request the government and the President of India that he should not be appointed Sikkim governor until the CBI investigation into the case is over," he added.

The allegations against Gautam remain unproven. He has denied the accusations and initiated defamation proceedings against those making them. His appointment has nevertheless brought renewed attention to the family's demand for an investigation into the alleged VIP connection.

CONGRESS OPPOSES GAUTAM'S APPOINTMENT

The India Gate protest comes amid mounting opposition from the Uttarakhand Congress to Gautam's appointment. The party has alleged that his name has surfaced in connection with the Ankita Bhandari case and has questioned the decision to appoint him to a constitutional position before the family's concerns have been addressed.

The Congress has claimed that the appointment could make it more difficult to pursue criminal proceedings against Gautam while he holds the office of governor. The party has also accused the BJP leadership of disregarding public sentiment in Uttarakhand.

Gautam, a former national general secretary of the BJP, previously served as the party's in-charge for Uttarakhand. He was appointed governor of Sikkim on Monday.

The family's opposition centres on the timing of the appointment and its demand that the alleged VIP angle be investigated before Gautam assumes office. The parents have asked the President to intervene and have said they will continue their protest if their demand is not met.

- Ends