Paper leak protests spiral in Uttarakhand, CM Dhami calls it ‘nakal jihad’
Dehradun: Protests over an alleged paper leak in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam have intensified across the state, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami controversially describing the incident as “nakal (cheating) jihad”, The Indian Express reported on Thursday.
According to the report, the UKSSSC examination was held on Sunday, but allegations of malpractice surfaced after three pages of the question paper were leaked online, triggering widespread demonstrations. Protesters have been gathering at Dehradun’s Parade Ground since Sunday, led by the Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangathan and other youth groups.
The police arrested two individuals, identified as Khalid Malik and his sister Sabia, on Tuesday in connection with the leak. Malik, who took the exam in Haridwar, allegedly photographed the question paper and sent it to Sabia. She is accused of forwarding it to Malik’s friend, Suman, a professor, in an attempt to get the answers. However, police reportedly mentioned Suman did not respond with solutions but instead alerted local youth leader Bobby Panwar about the incident.
However, the protesters claimed that Malik and Sabia were not the only ones responsible for the alleged paper leak, the report added.
Addressing new BJP office bearers on Wednesday, Chief Minister Dhami alleged a broader conspiracy to destroy the future of the youth by leaking examination papers. “The coaching mafia and cheating mafia come together to carry out nakal jihad in the state… to spread anarchy in the region. To those mafias and jihadis, I warn you that as long as the mafia is not destroyed. We will not rest,” he said.
Dhami’s use of the term "jihad" to describe the alleged cheating scandal drew sharp criticism from the opposition. Senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana accused the Chief Minister of communalising the issue to deflect from governance failures.
“The state was created to address unemployment, education, health and migration crises. These matters have yet to be resolved. A day before the exam, scammer Hakam Singh was arrested. Similarly, several names associated with this incident have surfaced. But for the CM, this is also jihad. Over 22,000 people are in contractual positions, waiting to be regularised, and several recruitment tests for forest, police, PWD, and irrigation departments have been on hold for a long time. The government has failed to address the miseries of people,” TIE quoted Dhasmana as saying.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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