Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke exclusively to India TV, launching a sharp attack on the Congress over its shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and speaking at length on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), land jihad, spit jihad, and related controversies. He also took aim at Rahul Gandhi, questioning the Congress leader's seriousness in national matters.
UCC implemented as per constitutional promise: CM Dhami
When asked about RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat praising Uttarakhand for implementing the Uniform Civil Code, CM Dhami said the move was in line with the Indian Constitution and a key promise made during the 2022 Assembly elections.
"We had assured the people that once we formed the government, we would implement the UCC. On January 27, 2025, Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to enforce a uniform law for all residents," he said, adding that several misconceptions surrounding the UCC have now been cleared and that other states are also moving in the same direction.
On Shankaracharya controversy, land jihad and Operation Kalnemi
Commenting on the controversy involving Shankaracharya, the Chief Minister said religious matters should not be dragged into political disputes. "Shankaracharya is a highly respected position. Keeping religion away from controversy preserves its dignity," he said.
On land jihad, CM Dhami claimed that large-scale, planned encroachments had taken place in Uttarakhand. "So far, around 12,000 acres of land have been freed, and this campaign is still ongoing," he said.
He also spoke about Operation Kalnemi, saying Uttarakhand receives millions of devotees from across the country and the world. "To stop those who hurt religious sentiments by disguising themselves, we launched Operation Kalnemi. Action has been taken against more than 6,000 such individuals," he said.
'Congress has a problem with everything': Dhami
Launching a broader political attack, CM Dhami accused the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics. "They get upset when we talk about the UCC, they feel pain when we stop religious conversions, they sweat when we talk about stopping riots, they have trouble when we talk about stopping land jihad, and they also have trouble when we take action against love jihad," he said.
"Every victory in Devbhoomi should be clean. People there engage in spit jihad, and when we take action, they are troubled. Even when we work to improve minority education, they are troubled. Congress is troubled by everything. The people of Devbhoomi tell us to do this, so we do it, and the people bless us and show Congress the door," he added.
'Shirtless protest reflects disgusting mentality'
Reacting strongly to the Congress' shirtless protest during an international AI summit, CM Dhami termed it "extremely shameful."
"This is a very disgusting mentality, and nothing could be more low-level than this. The whole world is witnessing India's pride. India is showing the world that we are advancing in science, technology, and AI. The world's largest AI Summit is being held, and you are attending and committing such a shameful act; it is clear that you intend to damage the country's honor."
He accused the Congress leadership of harboring personal animosity towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even though he has cared for every section of society and worked to advance them.
Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Dhami said, "Rahul Gandhi lacks seriousness. He always opposes everything. At least sometimes, he should acknowledge good work done for the country."
Watch CM Pushkar Singh Dhami's full interview here:
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