Pushkar Singh Dhami interview: ‘In Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, no room for anything that dilutes its culture, religiosity’

Since Narendra Modi took over as PM in 2014, we have received projects and resources such as the all-weather road (Char Dham Pariyojana), air connectivity across the state, the Delhi-Dehradun highway, health projects, among others. These have shown results in our performance in Sustainable Development Goals, with Uttarakhand topping the list in 2023-24.

We have done well on other indices, too. When the state was formed, the region’s per capita income was Rs 15,825. This grew to an estimated Rs 2,74,000 in 2024-2025. Similarly, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has risen from Rs 14,501 in 2000 to Rs 3.78 lakh this year.

We are also performing well in terms of employment generation. As part of Uttar Pradesh, the region was seen as remote, but over the last 25 years, we have improved our roads and connectivity, even with villages along the border.

There have been frequent protests this year over issues such as the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSC) exam, healthcare, and farm subsidies. Do you have political concerns?

There is no anger. People are just expressing their needs and challenges. As far as public service commissions are concerned, our government has made 26,500 appointments over the past four years without. This happened without any cheating, as we passed a law to counter it.

Yes, we had an incident, but the accused have been arrested and the exam has been cancelled. We have also recommended a CBI probe in line with their (aspirants’) demands. We do not make a mockery of the youth’s sentiments.

Also, I have spoken to the protesters who marched from Chaukhutia to Dehradun (demanding better healthcare services in the hills). The government has ordered the upgrade of their community health centre. I have promised them that I would visit in person and take stock of their challenges.

In many of your speeches, you have focused on various types of “jihad” and alleged demographic change. Some of your supporters say the rhetoric is getting old …

Urban Naxals, who resist for the sake of it, have no other work but to allege this. We are not targeting a particular community. We have noticed a pattern where people with filthy mentality have been committing acts which cannot be justified in a civil society.

Should our daughters and sisters be lured by men who impersonate someone from their community to ruin their lives? Should people encroach upon public land by laying a green chadar? This is Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. If there is a place in the whole world which is close to God, it is this. There is no room for anything that dilutes the culture and religiosity of the state. We will break the pattern of conspiratorial acts, but anyone who abides by the law should not be concerned.

How do you respond to allegations that laws such as the Anti-Conversion Amendment Act, Minority Education Act and others violate Constitutional rights like the freedom of religion?

We believe in the Constitution and work according to its principles and the rule of law. There are five other minorities in the state apart from Muslims and they have been included under the ambit of the law (Minority Education Act, 2025).

Many madrasas are flouting rules by not imparting education despite being operational as schools. Our children, irrespective of their religion, should be given modern education. Madrasas do not impart such (modern) education and foster a sectarian and primitive mindset. Thus, we brought in a completely Constitutional bill to repeal the Madrasa Board.

The government recently filed an affidavit proposing several amendments to the UCC after it was legally challenged. Was the government caught off guard?

The UCC has been brought in accordance with Article 44 of the Constitution. It was enforced after people gave us a second consecutive mandate (in 2022), even after we included it in our manifesto. The (BJP’s) victory suggested that people wanted UCC.

Even when I introduced the UCC Bill in the Assembly, I made it clear that it was a trial and suggestions and recommendations would be accommodated. We are not dogmatic about this and are open to differing views, which are good for Uttarakhand and its people.

So far, 58 couples have applied for registration of their live-in status under the UCC. Has it achieved what you envisioned?

The response is not underwhelming. I think the state must have only so many live-in couples. Also, marriage registration has been rising as expected. Similarly, live-in registrations will also increase with time.

If you complete your term, you will become the first BJP CM to do so …

We got an overwhelming majority in 2022 and have performed consistently well in every following election. We won the Haridwar panchayat election soon after the Assembly polls and won all five Lok Sabha seats in the state last year. Earlier this year, we saw a massive mandate in our favour in the municipal and panchayat polls.

People voted for us as the double-engine government has worked for them due to the stability under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For me, there is no challenge from within the party. We are all a part of a party rooted in democratic functioning and I am just a worker who discharges the duties assigned to me. I am an ordinary man who was born to a soldier, and my focus is only on work.