Uttarakhand paper leak protests called off after CM Dhami meets job aspirants, promises CBI probe

The allegation was first made by Uttarakhand Swabhiman Morcha president Bobby Panwar, who claimed that half an hour after the exam started at 11 am, the question paper leaked. The paper was allegedly sent by a candidate, Khalid Malik, to his sister, who is accused of having sent it to a college professor to get it answered. But the professor sent it to Panwar, who circulated it online, claiming rigging at the level of the UKSSSC. Over the last week, two people have been arrested, Khalid and his sister Sabia, and Chief Minister Dhami has termed the incident “nakal (cheating) jihad”.

The alleged paper leak came a day after the arrest of Hakam Singh, a former BJP leader, after he was accused of having demanded Rs 15 lakh from candidates for helping them clear the September 21 exam. He had previously been in jail in a 2021 paper leak case.

On Monday, CM Dhami visited Parade Ground and made an emotional appeal to the protesters, saying he understood that the youth and students of Uttarakhand worked hard to prepare for government jobs. He said the alleged paper leak was already being investigated by an SIT under the supervision of a retired High Court judge.

“U C Dhyani ji is overseeing the work, and the committee has also begun its work. However, since the youth are still demanding a CBI inquiry, the government will recommend a CBI probe into the matter. There will be no obstacle in this,” he said.

He also said that if any cases had been registered against the youth during the course of the protest, they would be withdrawn.

On Saturday, Dhami had cast aspersions on the leaders of the protest. “Those who politicise this do not have anything to do with the students and their exam. However, it is our responsibility to give 25,000 opportunities. We have formed an SIT under a retired judge, and whatever surfaces in the probe, we will take action. It is unfortunate that on behalf of students, some are raising anti-national and anti-Sanatan slogans. But the youth are wise and nationalistic as our state shares borders with two countries, and they belong to Devbhoomi, so they will move forward with these ideals,” the Chief Minister said.

Tribhuvan Chauhan of the Swabhiman Morcha said protesters have decided to call off the protest as the Chief Minister has sought a few days’ time to look into the demand for cancellation of the exam.

“We have decided to reconvene on October 10 if the demands remain unmet. The protests across the state will be called off till then,” he said.

The Congress said it was not satisfied with the Chief Minister’s announcement on recommending a CBI probe into the UKSSSC paper leak case, and that the party would go ahead with its earlier announced march to the CM’s residence on October 3. The state Congress unit’s senior vice-president (organisation) Suryakant Dhasmana said the party believes such recommendations have been made before. “Former BJP CM Trivendra Singh Rawat had recommended a CBI probe into the NH-74 scam in 2017, and even announced on the floor of the Assembly that within 15 days, the CBI would take over the probe. But the whole state saw how, even after eight years, the CBI is yet to take up that investigation,” he said.

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