Youths and politically unaffiliated citizens staged a peaceful dharna, a sit-in protest, at the District Administrative Centre in Gangtok, opposing the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor and demanding that the Centre defer his swearing-in until an ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case is completed.
Gautam, whose appointment was announced by the President’s Secretariat on October 12 as part of a wider gubernatorial reshuffle, is scheduled to be sworn in on October 19. The protesters said they were not opposed to the appointment itself but questioned its timing, arguing that he should not assume a constitutional office while allegations of his purported connection to the case remain unresolved.
“I don’t have a problem with the appointment, but until the case is ongoing or Gautam is given a clean chit, he should not be appointed. That is our only demand,” concerned citizen CL Chettri said, adding, “We are ready to apologise if he is proved not guilty, but until then he should not be appointed.”
Gautam’s name has surfaced in allegations concerning the alleged VIP connection in the case. However, he has not been named as an accused, no court has established his involvement, and he has denied the allegations. Ankita, 19, worked at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district. Resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2023, while the identity and alleged role of the VIP referred to in the case have remained contentious.
The CBI inquiry was recommended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in January 2026 following renewed public pressure and a request from Ankita’s parents. The investigation is examining unresolved questions surrounding the alleged VIP angle. The Congress has also urged the Centre to reconsider the appointment until the inquiry is completed.
Organiser Anjali said the protest was a citizen-led initiative and that participants had come together without any political affiliation. “The sentiments of the people had been building for some time. There is a lot going on, and people wanted a platform to express their beliefs and ideas,” she said. She said she decided to take the initiative herself rather than wait for someone else, approaching the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police, who supported and encouraged the group to hold the protest. She emphasised that the demonstration was intended to remain peaceful and that citizens should be able to express concerns while law and order is maintained.
“Just because he gets sworn in does not mean that our voices will become silent. We will keep raising our concerns,” she said, adding that many others who could not attend shared the movement’s sentiments. “There are many people who are not here right now, but their hearts are with the movement.”
Citizen Kailash Pradhan questioned whether the Sikkim government could oppose the Centre’s decision, noting that Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay’s government is part of the National Democratic Alliance and has little scope to challenge the appointment. He also referred to Golay’s conviction before he was sworn in as Chief Minister, arguing that these circumstances left the state leadership with limited room to intervene. Citizens nevertheless have the right to raise concerns over decisions affecting the state, he said. “The people are the ones who enable them to be in power. If they want to continue, they should hold the trust of the people.”
The protesters maintained that they were not declaring Gautam guilty but wanted the inquiry to reach a conclusion before he assumed office. “Even if the appointment goes ahead, that does not mean we will stop. We will keep organising peacefully and raising our concerns,” Anjali said, adding that organisers plan to continue holding peaceful demonstrations and providing a platform for people to express their views.
Original Source: https://eastmojo.com/sikkim/2026/10/17/sikkim-youth-oppose-dushyant-gautams-appointment-as-governor/
Category: Free Digest,News,Northeast News,Sikkim
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Publish Date: 2026-10-17 21:52:00
