A high-voltage confrontation at the Jauljibi fair in Pithoragarh district on Saturday has drawn attention to political tensions in Uttarakhand, as Dharchula MLA Harish Singh Dhami of the Congress party is accused of assaulting sound personnel and disrupting a stage programme. The allegations have not been confirmed, and the details remain contested.
According to the reporting, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had inaugurated the fair that day and had left the venue before the MLA arrived. The MLA was reportedly angry at not being given an opportunity to address the gathering, and the dispute on the stage escalated quickly after his arrival.
The MLA is alleged to have assaulted members of the sound staff and to have removed the stage podium, throwing it away. Supporters of the MLA have been accused of vandalising the venue and sabotaging the event. These claims are part of the allegations and have not been independently established in the reporting available.
A video of the incident was widely circulated on social media, carrying the confrontation beyond the fairground and into public view. Police and administration officials reached the spot and attempted to pacify those involved. Reports indicate that the MLA did not calm down immediately and went on to address the public through the microphone, an act that has been described as an attempt to instigate the crowd. This characterisation is an accusation and has not been confirmed.
The episode has occurred in the run-up to the Uttarakhand assembly elections, which gives it a political dimension beyond the immediate disturbance at a local fair. The fair is held in the Jauljibi area of Pithoragarh district, and incidents at such public events can quickly become matters of political debate when they involve a sitting legislator and the chief minister's programme. The Dharchula constituency, which the MLA represents, lies in the same district.
The sequence of events was recorded and shared by people present, and the footage has been the main public source of the accounts so far. The precise circumstances of the alleged assault, the extent of any damage to the stage and equipment, and the motives of those involved remain disputed. Those named in the reports have not been quoted as confirming or denying the specific allegations in the material available, and further clarification from the authorities and the parties concerned is awaited.