Opposition accuses BJP of communalising Khalid’s arrest while ignoring main accused — Hakam Singh and Pankaj Gaur — raising fears of Muslims being blamed amid rising attacks and demolitions in Uttarakhand
DEHRADUN — Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has triggered outrage by linking Muslims with exam malpractice, calling it ‘copy jihad’. Critics say the phrase is an attempt to communalise the UKSSSC paper leak case and divert attention from the state government’s failure.
Speaking at a BJP workshop in Dehradun on Wednesday, Dhami claimed, “After love jihad and spit jihad, copy jihad has now entered Uttarakhand. Some people are ruining the lives of young people through so-called copy jihad.”
His statement, made in the presence of senior party leaders, including National General Secretary BL Santosh, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, Muslim groups, and students, who say it is both misleading and dangerous.
Congress leaders questioned the intent behind Dhami’s remarks. A candidate who appeared in the UKSSSC exam said, “The government is trying to give a communal colour to cover up its failure. Paper leaks happened earlier as well, but no one called it jihad.”
Opposition parties argue that while Khalid Malik, a Muslim man, was arrested in connection with the leak, the bigger names — Hakam Singh and Pankaj Gaur — have been pushed aside. “Why are their names missing from the government’s statements? Why is only Khalid’s arrest being highlighted?” a Congress spokesperson asked.
According to police reports, Hakam Singh and Pankaj Gaur were arrested in Patel Nagar, Dehradun, for their involvement in the leak. Later, the police also arrested Khalid Malik in Haridwar along with his sister. While investigations are still underway, the ruling party has focused attention on Khalid, sparking accusations of selective targeting.
A local activist said, “The ruling party is desperate to hide its own failures. They are using Muslims as scapegoats by coining terms like ‘copy jihad’. This is not about religion, it is about corruption in recruitment.”
Despite criticism, BJP leaders have defended the Chief Minister. The party’s state president Mahendra Bhatt insisted, “The issue of cheating jihad is absolutely correct, because some people are working on the formula of cheating jihad to spoil the atmosphere in the state.”
Similarly, BJP state in-charge Dushyant Gautam said, “Uttarakhand is the first state in India to pass a strict anti-cheating law. If people still engage in malpractice, the government will take strict action.”
This is not the first time Muslims have been targeted in the state. Last year, the Dhami government and right-wing organisations raised allegations of ‘love jihad’, ‘land jihad’, and pushed for a Uniform Civil Code. This year, large-scale demolitions of Muslim religious sites and madrasas were carried out under the label of illegal construction, leading to clashes and violence.
A Muslim cleric in Haridwar said, “Every few months, a new term is invented to attack Muslims — love jihad, land jihad, now copy jihad. This is a campaign to spread fear and hatred.”
The controversy has deepened concerns among Uttarakhand’s Muslims, who say they are being unfairly blamed for problems created by government mismanagement.
A student preparing for competitive exams in Dehradun said, “We are already facing unemployment and tough competition. Now they are communalising even exams. It creates fear for Muslim youth like me who just want a fair chance.”
As the investigation continues, the question remains whether the government is serious about tackling the cheating mafia or more focused on polarising the issue.
