CM Dhami Targets Akhilesh, Challenges Uttarakhand Congress
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has publicly accused Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party of a dual offence — firing on unarmed Uttarakhand statehood protesters in the 1990s and now allegedly calling Uttarakhand people infiltrators — while demanding Uttarakhand Congress explain its silence.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand posted a statement on 6 November 2026 attributed to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav .
Dhami accused the Samajwadi Party of ordering firing on unarmed agitators during the Uttarakhand statehood movement of the 1990s.
He alleged that Akhilesh Yadav had called the people of Uttarakhand 'infiltrators' ( ghuspaithiya ) — a claim that remains unconfirmed independently.
Rahul Gandhi was named as Akhilesh's 'associate,' drawing the Congress high command into the dispute.
Dhami questioned why Uttarakhand Congress leaders remained silent on what he framed as an insult to the state's honour and self-respect.
Uttarakhand was granted statehood on 9 November 2000 following prolonged protests against neglect by the Uttar Pradesh government.
A quarter-century after unarmed protesters bled for Uttarakhand's statehood, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is demanding answers — and pointing his finger squarely at both a rival party and a silent ally. On Friday, 6 November 2026, the Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand posted a sharp political broadside attributed to CM Dhami, targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and questioning the conspicuous silence of Uttarakhand Congress leaders.
Dhami's statement, shared by the official CMO account, reads: 'उत्तराखंड राज्य आंदोलन के दौरान निहत्थे आंदोलनकारियों पर गोली चलाने वाली समाजवादी पार्टी के नेता और राहुल गांधी के सहयोगी अखिलेश यादव जब उत्तराखंड के लोगों को घुसपैठिया बताते हैं, तब भी उत्तराखंड कांग्रेस के नेता चुप्पी साध लेते हैं।' In translation: 'When Akhilesh Yadav — leader of the Samajwadi Party, which ordered firing on unarmed agitators during the Uttarakhand statehood movement, and an associate of Rahul Gandhi — calls the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators, even then the leaders of Uttarakhand Congress maintain their silence. Why does Uttarakhand Congress go mute on questions of the state's honour and self-respect?'
The Statehood Movement's Long Shadow
The charge Dhami invokes carries genuine historical weight. Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, the culmination of years of protests against what residents described as chronic administrative neglect by Lucknow. During the agitation in the 1990s, police firing at multiple sites left protesters dead — a wound that the hill state has never fully closed. The Samajwadi Party, founded in 1992, was part of Uttar Pradesh's political establishment during that turbulent period, and BJP-led governments in Uttarakhand have repeatedly reached back to those events to question opposition credibility.
By framing Akhilesh Yadav simultaneously as an inheritor of that legacy and as someone who has allegedly described Uttarakhand's people as 'infiltrators' (ghuspaithiya), Dhami is threading a pointed double accusation — historical grievance married to present-day insult. It is worth noting that the exact wording and occasion of Akhilesh's alleged 'infiltrator' remark has not been independently confirmed.
Rahul Gandhi Drawn Into the Frame
The CMO post's deliberate naming of Rahul Gandhi as Akhilesh Yadav's 'associate' (sahyogi) signals that this is not merely a Uttarakhand-versus-UP fight. It is a calculated attempt to link the Congress high command directly to the Samajwadi Party's alleged slight against the hill state. The question then lands on Uttarakhand Congress leaders: why no public rebuke of an ally's remarks about their own constituents?
That rhetorical trap — silence equals complicity — is a well-worn BJP playbook, but its effectiveness in Uttarakhand's emotive political culture, where the statehood struggle is near-sacred, should not be underestimated. The state has a tradition of punishing politicians seen as disrespecting its distinct identity.
What Uttarakhand Congress Must Now Answer
As of the time of publication, no formal response from Uttarakhand Congress or Samajwadi Party spokespersons has been issued. The Uttarakhand Assembly's next session will be watched for whether the CM presses this line of attack on the floor, where it carries procedural weight beyond social media. For now, the CMO's post has successfully put the opposition on the back foot — forcing a choice between defending Akhilesh or distancing themselves from a key INDIA bloc ally.
Silence, in Uttarakhand politics right now, is its own loud answer.
Point of View
The CMO post is crafted to fracture the INDIA bloc's unified messaging in a state where identity politics runs deep. Uttarakhand Congress's silence — real or perceived — becomes the story itself, handing the BJP a no-lose news cycle. The move also previews likely attack lines for the next Uttarakhand Assembly session and any approaching election cycle.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about Uttarakhand people?
Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami alleged that Akhilesh Yadav called the people of Uttarakhand 'infiltrators' (ghuspaithiya). The exact wording and occasion of this alleged remark have not been independently confirmed.
What was the Uttarakhand statehood movement?
The Uttarakhand statehood movement was a prolonged agitation in the 1990s by residents demanding separation from Uttar Pradesh due to administrative neglect. It culminated in Uttarakhand becoming a separate state on 9 November 2000. Police firing on unarmed protesters at several sites is a defining and painful memory of the movement.
Why is CM Dhami criticising Uttarakhand Congress?
CM Dhami questioned why Uttarakhand Congress leaders have remained silent after Akhilesh Yadav — an ally of Rahul Gandhi — allegedly made remarks calling Uttarakhand people infiltrators, framing the silence as a betrayal of the state's honour.
What is Samajwadi Party's connection to the Uttarakhand statehood movement?
The Samajwadi Party, founded in 1992, was part of Uttar Pradesh's political establishment during the period when the Uttarakhand statehood movement was active, a period that saw police firing on protesters. BJP leaders, including CM Dhami, have used this historical link to question the SP's credibility in Uttarakhand.
Has Uttarakhand Congress responded to CM Dhami's statement?
As of 6 November 2026, no formal public response from Uttarakhand Congress or Samajwadi Party spokespersons had been issued in reply to CM Dhami's post.
