BJP’s ‘Beti Bachao’ slogan rings hollow amid Ankita Bhandari murder case revelations: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of hypocrisy over its much-publicised slogan “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” in the wake of fresh allegations surrounding the Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand.

Recently a video featuring the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, who alleged that her husband had conversations implicating senior BJP functionaries in the Ankita Bhandari case, had gone viral in the State.  

Addressing a press briefing in Delhi, Congress’s Uttarakhand chief Ganesh Godiyal said the BJP’s claims of safeguarding women stand exposed. “The slogan was ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, but recent developments raise questions about the real intent behind these words,” Mr. Godiyal remarked.

The Congress leader said the party had refrained from sharing the explicit content but the allegations were serious enough to warrant investigation. “She claims to have audio recordings, now circulating on social media, that suggest pressure was exerted on Ankita,” Mr. Godiyal said. 

He further questioned the BJP government’s actions immediately after Bhandari’s disappearance and subsequent death. “Before her body was recovered, the hotel room where she stayed was demolished with a bulldozer, and furniture was partially burnt and dumped in a swimming pool. This was not a show of strength — it was a clear attempt to destroy evidence,” he alleged.

The Congress leader also raised doubts about the role of BJP MLA Renu Bisht, whose name surfaced in connection with the demolition. “If the intent was to punish the hotel owner, why not demolish his residence in Haridwar? Why target the specific room linked to the victim?” he asked, demanding accountability from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other BJP leaders.