Congress Protests Appointment of Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim Governor

Ganesh Godiyal, the Uttarakhand Congress chief, has announced a silent protest in Dehradun to challenge the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. The opposition leader claims the move disrespects the parents of Ankita Bhandari, who previously identified Gautam as a central figure in their daughter's murder investigation.

Editorial·October 13, 2026·reads: 678

Congress Protests Appointment of Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim Governor

The protest, scheduled for noon at Gandhi Park, centers on allegations that the former BJP National General Secretary remains linked to the 2022 killing of the 19-year-old resort receptionist. Godiyal criticized the Central Bureau of Investigation for its lack of progress, noting that no formal charges have been filed against the individual identified by the victim's family as the 'VIP' involved in the case.

Dushyant Gautam, a Dalit leader and former Rajya Sabha member, was appointed to the Sikkim governorship this week. His elevation follows the sentencing of resort owner Pulkit Arya and two others to life imprisonment for the crime. While the CBI took over the investigation in early 2026 at the request of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the agency has yet to make a breakthrough regarding the alleged VIP involvement that triggered statewide protests.