Badrinath Offering Theft Row Escalates: Hemant Dwivedi Rejects Ganesh Godiyal’s Challenge, Invites Public Debate at Gandhi Park
Political sparring over the alleged “Badrinath offering theft” case intensified on Monday as Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) President Hemant Dwivedi refused to accept Congress leader Ganesh Godiyal’s challenge for a one-on-one debate at the Dehradun Press Club, instead daring him to face a public discussion at Gandhi Park.
The controversy erupted after Dwivedi levelled serious allegations against former BKTC chairman Godiyal over alleged irregularities during his tenure in the temple committee. Dwivedi claimed that Godiyal’s prolonged association with the committee was marked by several questionable actions, remarks that further sharpened the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress over the management of the revered Badrinath Temple.
In response, Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal challenged the BKTC chief to a direct face-to-face debate at the Press Club in Dehradun. However, Dwivedi dismissed the proposal, asserting that the Press Club was “not a venue for political debates.”
“If he wants a debate, let him come to Gandhi Park. I will not go to the Press Club for this,”
Dwivedi said, publicly rejecting Godiyal’s invitation.
The exchange has further intensified the political storm surrounding the alleged mismanagement of offerings at the Badrinath shrine, with both the BJP and the Congress trading accusations over transparency and accountability in the administration of one of Hinduism’s most revered pilgrimage sites.
As the war of words deepens, the issue has moved beyond temple administration and emerged as a major political flashpoint in Uttarakhand, with both sides seeking to turn the controversy into a battle over credibility and public trust.
Report by Swati
Badrinath offering Theft Row Escalates Diwedi Rejects Ganesh Godiyal s challenges
