Congress MlA from Dharchula, Harish Dhami, who has been evading a non bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him by a local court in Pithoragarh, is to move the High Court of Uttarakhand (HCU) on Tuesday to seek bail. He has strongly criticised his political opponents and the then senior officials concerned of the Pithoragarh district administration.
“I am going to appeal before the High Court to seek bail against the NBW issued against me by a local court of Didihat in Pithoragarh in connection with a case of 2007. In case the court refuses to grant bail, I will surrender as per the law. I am a law-abiding citizen,” Dhami said while talking to The Pioneer.
“But once the legal matter is settled I will demand action against the then officials concerned who involved my name in this case. It is quite astonishing that out of 400/500 people in the gathering resulting a clash between the people of Munsiyari and Madkot in 2007 and the matter was resolved later on, yet they identified only me,” he said.
The interesting fact about Dhami is that whether it is the present NBW issued against him by a local court or alleged ignorance of the State Government towards his Assembly constituency in terms of development, the first time MlA from Dharchula has always been very vocal against the Congress-led State Government.
He did not hesitate to stage protest in front of the State legislative Assembly last year raising issue of poor development of his constituency and he is again intending to stage similar protests.
However, then the State Government and the party leaders managed to pacify him assuring full cooperation with him. Apart from his proximity to Union Cabinet Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s confidence in him seems to have given Dhami the much needed courage to speak against his own Government in the state.
It may be recalled that out of some of Rahul Gandhi’s handpicked candidates it was only Dhami from Uttarakhand’s Kumaon division who made it to the state legislative assembly in last year’s assembly polls, making it easier for his party to form a Government in the State.
However, following a new twist in this case, Dhami has strongly criticised his political opponents and the then senior officials of the district administration for ‘framing’ him in this case. “I will strongly take up the matter once the present case is settled,” Dhami asserted.