Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Meet Protesting Parents
Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra traveled to India Gate in New Delhi to meet with the parents of ankita bhandari. The grieving parents were staging a demonstration to voice their concerns regarding a recent high-profile administrative appointment while a federal investigation remains active.
Details of the Ankita Bhandari Case and Demands
The ankita bhandari case centers around the 2022 tragedy where nineteen-year-old Ankita, employed as a resort receptionist in Rishikesh, was killed. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal days later. Although the resort owner and two accomplices received life sentences, family members and activists have continuously pressed for a deeper look into unproven allegations involving an unidentified VIP figure.
During their demonstration at India Gate, the victim's parents focused their appeals on stopping the transition of BJP leader dushyant kumar gautam into the role of Sikkim Governor. Her father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, and mother, Soni Devi, formally asked President Droupadi Murmu to freeze the appointment until the Central Bureau of Investigation concludes its inquiry.
Political Reactions and Opposition Stance
The appointment of dushyant gautam has triggered pushback from regional political entities, including the Uttarakhand Congress. Critics allege that elevating him to a gubernatorial post offers immunity from criminal proceedings, shielding him while questions from the tragic 2022 incident linger. Meanwhile, the official facing the accusations has denied any involvement and initiated defamation proceedings against accusers.
If authorities do not pause the appointment, the family warned they would escalate their protest by initiating a hunger strike outside the Uttarakhand chief minister's office at the Secretariat in Dehradun.
Sources: The Times of India, NDTV, The Hindu.
