Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Monday evening held a candlelight tribute in memory of Ankita Bhandari at the UP Congress headquarters, raising strong questions over the BJP government’s handling of the high-profile murder case. The protest, led by UP Congress President Shri Ajay Rai, was organised at 5 PM in front of the statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Ankita Bhandari (2002–2022), a 19-year-old hotel staffer from Roorkee, Uttarakhand, went missing in September 2022 from a resort owned by BJP leader Pulkit Arya. Days later, her body was recovered from the Rishiganga River, confirming the case as a brutal murder. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and allegations of political protection being extended to the accused.
Holding candles in silent protest, senior Congress leaders including former minister Shri Naseemuddin Siddiqui, noted justice activist Ayaaz Khan “Acchu,” and several party office-bearers paid homage to Ankita and reiterated the party’s demand for justice.
Addressing the gathering, UP Congress President Shri Ajay Rai launched a scathing attack on the BJP government.
“The BJP government sheltered Ankita Bhandari’s murderers. The blood of this innocent daughter stains their hands. This is an authoritarian regime where criminals roam freely. Congress will fight this tyranny from the streets to Parliament—we will topple the BJP from power,” he declared.
Former minister Shri Naseemuddin Siddiqui echoed similar sentiments, calling the Ankita Bhandari case a grim symbol of the BJP’s governance.
“The Ankita Bhandari murder case represents the authoritarian nature of the BJP. The government’s silence is nothing but the murder of justice. Congress will continue to fight for justice for every mother and every daughter of this country,” he said.
The candlelight protest concluded with a collective pledge by Congress leaders and workers to intensify their struggle until justice is delivered to Ankita Bhandari and accountability is fixed. The party asserted that it would continue to raise the issue at every democratic platform, from the streets to legislative forums, to ensure that such crimes are neither forgotten nor forgiven.
