Congress MLA Harish Singh Dhami and five others have been booked by Uttarakhand police for allegedly obstructing work and causing a disturbance during the Jauljibi Fair in Pithoragarh following a heated exchange with the administration.
Congress MLA Harish Singh Dhami Booked After Ruckus at Jauljibi Fair
Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) [India], November 15 (ANI): A case has been registered against Congress MLA Harish Singh Dhami and five others for allegedly creating a ruckus, obstructing official work, with claims that the leaders pushed police personnel during the Jauljibi Fair in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, police said on Sunday.
Pithoragarh Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahalad Konde told ANI over the phone that the Jauljibi Kotwali Police had registered a case against six named individuals under Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The SP said an investigation had been initiated and the police would ensure an impartial probe. Further legal action would be taken based on the evidence, he added.
According to the police, the incident took place on Saturday after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Jauljibi Fair and addressed the gathering. After the conclusion of the event, Fair Committee President and Dharchula MLA Harish Singh Dhami along with his supporters—Ram Singh Rokaya, Saurabh Martolia, Nrip Singh, Manohar Tolia, Vikram Danu, and other individuals—raised slogans using inappropriate language. It is alleged that abusive language was used during this time, along with vandalism. Police personnel present at the spot attempted to pacify them, but the group allegedly pushed and jostled with police personnel and others, obstructing official work.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLA Harish Dhami on Saturday accused Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of corruption and challenged him to face him in a by-election, saying he had nothing to fear as he had committed no wrongdoing. "The Chief Minister is running away and living in fear—he is afraid because he has engaged in corruption. As for me, I have never been involved in corruption or committed any wrongdoing; that is why I have nothing to fear. I stand tall and unafraid. I have told the Chief Minister today: 'Take whatever action you wish to take. You have kept me entangled in legal cases for years on end—go ahead and file another one; I can handle that too.' To us, handcuffs are like ornaments," Dhami said, speaking to ANI.
Issuing a direct challenge to the Chief Minister, he added, "I have challenged Pushkar Dhami directly: 'If you have the courage, face me in a by-election today.' If I don't ensure that your security deposit is forfeited, then my name isn't Harish Dhami." Dhami also criticised the Chief Minister over his remarks about the road to Lipulekh, linking them to the death of an eight-year-old child. "An 8-year-old child has lost his life, yet he feels no shame—instead, he boasts about having built such a beautiful road all the way to Lipulekh. Did he not feel even a shred of shame while saying this, considering he had visited the child’s home just the day before to offer his condolences to the grieving family?" he said. The Congress MLA further said, "We had hoped that the Chief Minister would take some concrete action for the people of Kanar, who are currently on an indefinite hunger strike in Bitaugarh, and send a representative to persuade them to end their protest. We also expected a representative of the Chief Minister to visit the family of the 8-year-old child who passed away and acknowledge that this was a failure on the government's part, ensuring that no other child would lose their life on this road in the future."
