Congress MLA Creates Ruckus on Stage Over Protocol at Uttarakhand Fair

A high-voltage political confrontation unfolded in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district when Congress lawmaker Harish Singh Dhami created a ruckus on stage during the inaugural ceremony of the historic Jauljibi Fair. The legislator reportedly threw microphones and hurled chairs after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami departed the venue before the local representative was permitted to address the gathering.

Video footage circulating from the border town showed the Dharchula MLA visibly agitated on the dais, confronting sound technicians and overturning furniture as onlookers and security personnel watched in shock. The disruption brought the inaugural ceremony of the traditional international trade and cultural fair to an abrupt halt amid escalating tension between political factions.

According to eyewitness reports and regional media coverage, the confrontation erupted over an alleged breach of official protocol. Harish Dhami, who chairs the fair committee and represents the Dharchula assembly constituency, accused the district administration of deliberately shutting off sound equipment to silence his speech once the chief minister concluded his address.

Addressing reporters following the commotion, the Congress legislator leveled sharp accusations against the state administration, alleging that local grievances in the remote border constituency were being systematically suppressed. He claimed that he had intended to raise pressing regional emergencies, including severely damaged road networks, infrastructure delays, and the recent death of a local child caused by inadequate connectivity.

The opposition lawmaker did not hold back in his verbal assault against Pushkar Singh Dhami, describing the chief minister as timid and challenging him to a direct political contest. Harish Dhami dared the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leadership to face him in a fresh electoral contest in Dharchula if they possessed the confidence to defend their governance record.

The ruling party responded with stern disapproval, with state officials and party functionaries condemning the vandalism as undignified conduct unbecoming of an elected legislator. Bharatiya Janata Party representatives contended that creating chaos at a revered public and cultural event violated civic decorum and undermined the solemnity of the centuries-old regional festival.

The annual Jauljibi Fair, situated at the confluence of the Kali and Gori rivers near the Indo-Nepal border, holds immense historical, cultural, and commercial significance for communities residing across the Himalayan frontier. Political observers note that such volatile public confrontations at high-profile cultural venues reflect sharpening political friction across Uttarakhand ahead of upcoming local civic body contests.

Tensions between ruling and opposition figures in Dharchula have simmered for months over border infrastructure bottlenecks and rehabilitation demands for disaster-prone mountain hamlets. Opposition leaders have repeatedly criticized the state government for failing to deliver timely relief and adequate healthcare access across rugged frontier districts.

District police and administrative authorities in Pithoragarh initiated a review of video recordings from the event to assess the damage caused to public and private sound apparatus on the dais. While local officials monitored the situation to prevent further clashes between rival political supporters, the fair's remaining cultural and commercial programs continued under heightened security vigilance.