Is Uttarakhand CM Dhami pandering to RSS agenda to deflect heat over allegations of corruption?

New Delhi: Is Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has been facing the heat over alleged corruption in awarding contracts and charges of nepotism in appointments in government jobs, seemingly trying to pander to the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to deflect the heat over these allegations?

Over the past few weeks, the Dhami government has initiated several steps including seeking suggestions from the public for the formulation and imposition of a uniform civil code in the state and ordering registration of all madrasas in Uttarakhand within one month.

The BJP government is also conducting a state-wide survey of Waqf lands in an effort to check illegal occupation of revenue land, sources added.

Sources pointed out that these issues being flagged by the Uttarakhand CM have been pushed for implementation by the RSS in an effort to maintain the unique character of the state.

RSS, the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is the backbone behind the saffron unit and implementation of issues close to its agenda has been paramount for BJP governments across the country.

However, detractors feel that the timing of the decisions by Dhami is suspect as they come during the raging controversy over allegations of corruption by the opposition as well as BJP leaders.

Sources close to the Dhami camp, however, claimed that there was no ulterior motive for the recent steps being pushed by the Uttarakhand government.

“The Chief Minister had promised to implement the uniform civil code while seeking a mandate of the people earlier this year during the campaign for Assembly polls. And the reason for mandatory registration of madrasas is being done to check any unlawful activity,” sources pointed out.

The state government also claims that these steps would also ensure the stopping of alarming changes in demography in the hill state as a proper survey of Waqf land will also establish ownership of land.

Over the past few weeks, BJP factions have been baying for Dhami's scalp over allegations of corruption in government contracts and irregularities in government recruitment, leading to protests in several parts of the state.

Sources stated that despite coming back with a thumping majority just months ago, Dhami is under a scanner over allegations of corruption and the BJP’s central leadership is seriously reviewing the performance of his government.

Meanwhile, the top central leadership of BJP has been apprised of the working style of Dhami, sources said.

Though the detractors of Dhami have been baying for his scalp and for making major changes in his Cabinet, it is learnt that such reshuffle would not be easy as the BJP had secured victory in Uttarakhand Assembly polls earlier this year winning 47 out of the 70 Assembly seats. Under Dhami's leadership, the saffron party had successfully reversed the state's trend of removing the incumbent government and retaining power.

Uttarakhand is an important state in BJP's political strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The state had elected BJP's nominees to all 5 of its Lok Sabha seats in 2019 and the party hopes to maintain a similar 100 percent strike rate in the next general elections.