Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has responded strongly to the ongoing controversy over alleged irregularities in offerings at the Badrinath temple. He compared such an act to cow slaughter and said it was like killing one’s own parents, emphasizing just how serious he considers the offence to be.
When asked about measures to strengthen temple administration, Dhami said the Special Investigation Team is conducting a thorough probe into the matter. He confirmed that the investigation will proceed strictly according to prescribed legal provisions.
The Chief Minister reiterated that no guilty person would be spared, regardless of their position or role in the temple committee.
Where the CM made these remarks
Dhami made these comments while speaking to media in Haridwar, where he had arrived to attend the concluding ceremony of Murari Bapu’s Shri Ram Katha.
During the same interaction, he also addressed the state’s preparedness for the ongoing monsoon season, confirming that the government remains fully equipped to handle the situation.
The case behind the controversy
These remarks come after a criminal case was registered against Pramod Nautiyal, a Personal Assistant in the Office of the Chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee. The case followed allegations of illegal diversion of temple offerings.
The FIR was filed at Badrinath Police Station under Sections 306 and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The complaint, lodged by the temple committee itself, accused Nautiyal of unlawfully misappropriating temple funds for personal benefit.
The allegations trace back to an incident on July 2, during the counting of offerings collected through the Thali Bhent, or donation plate. A preliminary inquiry conducted by the committee established that temple funds were secretly removed from the donation counting centre during a specific 30 minute window, between 9 am and 9:30 am.
Suspension followed the initial findings
Following these prima facie findings, the temple committee moved to suspend Nautiyal from his position before proceeding with formal legal action. Authorities are now investigating the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Even before the FIR was registered, the temple committee had already taken a significant step toward maintaining administrative transparency. It suspended Nautiyal from his position with immediate effect as part of this broader response.
According to an order issued by the committee, a show cause notice was served on Nautiyal on July 3, after prima facie allegations of serious irregularities in his official duties came to light. Alongside this notice, a four member inquiry committee was constituted to carry out a fair and detailed investigation into the matter.