CM Dhami demands Akhilesh apology over 'outsider' remark
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has demanded a public apology from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for allegedly calling Uttarakhandis 'infiltrators', invoking Mulayam Singh Yadav's crackdown on statehood protesters and warning of electoral consequences in 2027.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami demanded that Akhilesh Yadav publicly apologise to all Uttarakhandis for allegedly labelling them 'infiltrators.' Dhami invoked the 1993–1995 era when Mulayam Singh Yadav , as UP Chief Minister, oversaw police firing on Uttarakhand statehood agitators.
Uttarakhand became a separate state on 9 November 2000 after sustained protests against inclusion in UP.
Dhami called the remark an insult to the state's military traditions and the soldiers who gave their lives for the nation.
He warned that voters would deliver a 'strong democratic answer' to the SP-Congress alliance in the 2027 Uttarakhand assembly elections .
The BJP in Uttarakhand has consistently used statehood-era grievances as a core element of its regional identity politics.
A sharp political exchange erupted on Saturday, 24 October 2026, when Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami publicly demanded that Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav apologise to the people of Uttarakhand for what he called a deeply insulting remark — labelling Uttarakhandis as ghuspaitheye (infiltrators).
The 'infiltrator' remark that lit the fuse
The trigger, according to CM Dhami, is a recent statement by Akhilesh Yadav in which the SP leader allegedly referred to people from Uttarakhand as outsiders or infiltrators. Dhami was unsparing in his response, writing: 'Uttarakhand ka apmaan karna Akhilesh Yadav ke liye koi nayi baat nahi hai' — 'insulting Uttarakhand is nothing new for Akhilesh Yadav.' He called the remark an affront not just to the state's people, but to its soldiers and military traditions, describing Uttarakhand as Devbhoomi — the Land of Gods — whose identity and sacrifices deserve respect, not contempt.
Mulayam's bullets, a wound that never healed
At the heart of Dhami's attack is a decades-old grievance: the firing on Uttarakhand statehood agitators during the tenure of Mulayam Singh Yadav as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (1993–1995). Protesters demanding a separate hill state were met with police action under Mulayam's government — a moment that remains a raw nerve in Uttarakhandi political memory. 'The same people in whose rule bullets were fired on our agitators are today calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators,' Dhami wrote, drawing a direct line from father to son.
Uttarakhand was finally carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, following years of sustained mass protests. The statehood movement is central to the state's founding identity, making any perceived slight from UP-based political figures especially combustible.
The 2027 election shadow
The timing of Dhami's broadside is not incidental. Uttarakhand assembly elections are due in 2027, and the BJP's playbook in the state has consistently framed the party as the guardian of local identity, military honour, and the sacrifices of the statehood movement. The Samajwadi Party is currently allied with the Indian National Congress, and Dhami folded both into his warning: 'The Congress — ally of the Samajwadi Party — will receive a strong democratic answer from the people of the state in 2027.' The message to voters is explicit — remember who fired on your parents, and vote accordingly.
Uttarakhand supplies a disproportionately large share of soldiers to the Indian Army, making any suggestion that its residents are 'outsiders' particularly incendiary. Dhami pressed that angle hard, calling the remark an insult to the 'brave soldiers who gave the supreme sacrifice in defence of the nation.'
With the opposition yet to formally respond, the exchange sets the early tone for what promises to be a fiercely identity-driven campaign season in the hills.
Point of View
Dhami attempts to collapse three decades of grievance into a single electoral argument. The 'Devbhoomi and soldier honour' framing is equally calculated — it positions any criticism of Uttarakhandis as anti-national, not merely politically inconvenient. Whether the SP's national alliance calculus leaves room for damage control in a state it has never governed will be a key test of the opposition's pre-poll management.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about Uttarakhand that angered CM Dhami?
According to CM Dhami's post, Akhilesh Yadav made a statement labelling people from Uttarakhand as 'infiltrators' or outsiders — an allegation Dhami called deeply insulting to the state's identity and its soldiers. The exact statement by Akhilesh Yadav has not been independently detailed in public records available at the time of this report.
Why does CM Dhami mention Mulayam Singh Yadav and firing on protesters?
During Mulayam Singh Yadav's tenure as UP Chief Minister ( 1993–1995 ), police opened fire on activists agitating for a separate Uttarakhand state. Dhami invoked this historical event to argue that the Yadav family has a pattern of disrespecting Uttarakhand and its people.
When did Uttarakhand become a separate state?
Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh and became a separate Indian state on 9 November 2000 , following years of mass protests demanding a distinct identity for the hill region.
What is the significance of calling Uttarakhand 'Devbhoomi'?
'Devbhoomi' means 'Land of Gods' in Hindi, a reference to Uttarakhand's dense concentration of Hindu pilgrimage sites including Char Dham. The term carries deep cultural and religious significance, and invoking it frames any insult to the state as an affront to sacred tradition.
When are the next Uttarakhand assembly elections?
The next Uttarakhand assembly elections are scheduled for 2027 . CM Dhami explicitly referenced the polls in his post, warning that the SP-Congress alliance would face a strong 'democratic answer' from voters over the alleged remark.
