Dhami attacks Congress on national security, OROP during Bhopal visit
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami used a condolence visit to Bhopal to go on the offensive against Congress, alleging four decades of OROP neglect and a pattern of vote-bank politics over national security — while carefully sidestepping comment on Sonia Gandhi's memoir until he reads it. The remarks signal BJP's intent to keep the Congress governance record in play as a national political narrative.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Bhopal on 11 November 2026 to meet Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and offer condolences over his mother Kashi Bai's death.
Dhami accused successive Congress governments of prioritising appeasement over national security and failing to resolve the One Rank One Pension (OROP) demand for nearly four decades .
On Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' , Dhami said he would comment only after reading it.
Dhami praised the BJP government under PM Narendra Modi for advances in space exploration, economic growth, and indigenous vaccine development.
Dhami paid tribute to former Madhya Pradesh CM Sunderlal Patwa on his birth anniversary; Patwa was born on 11 November 1924 and served as CM twice.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress, accusing it of prioritising vote-bank politics over national security during its decades in power. Dhami made the remarks in Bhopal, where he had travelled to meet Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and offer condolences over the passing of Chouhan's mother, Kashi Bai.
Dhami on Sonia Gandhi's Memoir
Reporters in Bhopal queried Dhami on former Congress President Sonia Gandhi's newly released memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'. The Chief Minister said he had not yet read the book and declined to offer a substantive comment. 'I have not read the book yet. I have only heard about it. I will go through it and understand its contents before making any comment,' he told reporters. The measured response drew attention given the charged political climate around the memoir's release.
Congress Accused of Appeasement and Security Failures
Setting aside the memoir question, Dhami alleged that successive Congress-led governments had followed an ideology rooted in appeasement and had consistently failed to prioritise national interest. He specifically cited the long-pending One Rank One Pension (OROP) demand as evidence, alleging that military personnel waited nearly four decades for its implementation while Congress remained in power without resolving the issue. He further alleged that Congress governments had not done enough to strengthen the morale of soldiers posted at the country's borders.
BJP's Record Cited in Contrast
Contrasting what he described as Congress's failures with the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation, Dhami said India was advancing rapidly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi across multiple fronts — from space exploration to economic growth. He also highlighted India's management of the Covid-19 pandemic, pointing to the development of indigenous vaccines as a marker of the country's growing scientific and institutional capacity. 'People are repeatedly giving their mandate to the government, while those who want to oppose it keep looking for one excuse or another to criticise it,' he said.
Tribute to Sunderlal Patwa on Birth Anniversary
During his Bhopal visit, Dhami also paid tribute to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa on his birth anniversary. Patwa, born on 11 November 1924, served as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister twice and also held a Union ministerial portfolio in former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. Dhami described Patwa as a foundational figure in the BJP's organisational growth, saying he had dedicated his life to building the party in Madhya Pradesh and beyond.
What to Watch
Dhami's remarks come as political debate around Sonia Gandhi's memoir continues to intensify nationally, with BJP leaders in several states using the book's release as an occasion to relitigate Congress's governance record. His comments on OROP and border security are likely to resonate in Uttarakhand, a state with one of the highest concentrations of ex-servicemen in India.
Point of View
Particularly potent in Uttarakhand where veteran households form a significant voting bloc. Notably, Dhami's refusal to comment on Sonia Gandhi's memoir without reading it is itself a signal — it avoids a hasty quote that could be rebutted while keeping the broader narrative about Congress's governance record alive. The question is whether these talking points, effective in 2014 and 2019, still move voters in a 2026 environment where economic concerns are increasingly central.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Uttarakhand CM Dhami visit Bhopal on 11 November?
Dhami visited Bhopal to meet Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and offer condolences over the death of Chouhan's mother, Kashi Bai. During the visit, he also paid tribute to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa on his birth anniversary.
What did CM Dhami say about Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'?
Dhami said he had not yet read the book and would comment only after going through its contents. He stated: 'I have not read the book yet. I have only heard about it. I will go through it and understand its contents before making any comment.'
What is the One Rank One Pension issue Dhami raised against Congress?
One Rank One Pension (OROP) is a policy that ensures retired military personnel of the same rank and service length receive equal pension, regardless of when they retired. Dhami alleged that military personnel waited nearly four decades for its implementation, and the issue remained unresolved under Congress governments.
Who was Sunderlal Patwa, and why did Dhami pay tribute to him?
Sunderlal Patwa was a veteran BJP leader born on 11 November 1924, who served as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister twice and as a Union minister under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Dhami described him as a key figure in the BJP's organisational growth in Madhya Pradesh and nationally.
What was Dhami's overall charge against the Congress party?
Dhami alleged that Congress had followed an ideology of appeasement and vote-bank politics during its decades in power, failing to prioritise national interest, strengthen border forces' morale, or resolve long-pending demands like OROP. He contrasted this with what he described as rapid national progress under the current BJP government.
