After Uttarakhand Education official accuses BJP MLA of assault, a counter-complaint

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Sharma had rejected the allegation, claiming that it was the staffers at the office who engaged in vandalism and violence. The BJP said it has taken cognisance of the incident and that an explanation would be sought from Sharma.

The matter related to the renaming of a government primary school after the man who had given the land on which it stands. The director’s complaint said that the matter was forwarded to the Secretariat when the MLA stormed in to seek an update.

Hours after the FIR was filed based on a complaint by the education official, another report was registered against unknown people under 115(2), 353, 127(2), 131 of the BNS at Raipur police station in Dehradun, on the complaint of Constable Suresh Ramola, who had accompanied Sharma at the time of the incident.

The complaint claimed that the MLA was at the office seeking information in connection with the progress of a letter submitted by him regarding the naming of a school. “Upon asking about the progress, the people present with them [at the Education department office] began creating a commotion. They had also misbehaved yesterday with the people who donated the land [for the construction of the school]. A man picked up a phone and threw it at the MLA. We stepped in, and the phone fell below the MLA’s shoulder and struck some unknown person, due to which the dispute escalated further. Although everything was normal during the discussion, they raised anti-government and anti-Chief Minister slogans to provoke the crowd. Further, by putting a lock from outside, the MLA and we security personnel were confined inside,” the complaint alleged.

It further claimed that by obstructing the MLA, throwing a phone at him, not providing information to the MLA as per law, and being public servants, “they conspired and committed unlawful acts… Anti-government and anti-MLA slogans were raised.”

“Although we kept trying to pacify everyone, their people started throwing chairs, due to which the matter further deteriorated. Somehow, we managed to rescue the MLA and took him safely to the vehicle,” the complaint said.

The Director of Elementary Education sustained injuries to his face during the incident.

Sharma, a 71-year-old MLA from Raipur, started off in Congress and defeated BJP heavyweight, former CM and current MP Trivendra Singh Rawat in 2012. In 2016, he, along with other Congress MLAs, defected to the BJP. In 2017, Sharma was re-elected, and again in 2022, as a BJP candidate.

Sharma courted controversy in 2019 when the BJP served a notice, seeking an explanation within three days after an audio clip went viral in which he was heard purportedly asking for votes for an Independent candidate in the local body elections.

Aiswarya Raj is a Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, covering Uttarakhand. She brings sound journalistic experience to her role, having started her career at the organisation as a sub-editor with the Delhi city team. She subsequently developed her reporting expertise by covering Gurugram and its neighbouring districts before transitioning to her current role as a resident correspondent in Dehradun. She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) and the University of Kerala. She has reported on the state politics, governance, environment and wildlife, and gender. Aiswarya has undertaken investigations using the Right to Information Act on law enforcement, public policy and procurement rules in Uttarakhand. She has also attempted narrative journalism on socio-economic matters affecting local communities. This specific, sustained focus on critical regional news provides the necessary foundation for high trustworthiness and authoritativeness on topics concerning Uttarakhand. ... Read More

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