Harish Rawat Quits Two Congress Posts After ED Action On Aide, Clarifies He Has Not Left Party

Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has stepped down from two organisational positions in the party following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on his former Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Chandan Singh Jeena, from whose premises cash and jewellery were reportedly seized.

However, Rawat has not resigned from the Congress Party. In a recent post on X, he clarified that his Congress membership remains intact, saying the party is “in my blood and bones”. His decision is limited to his positions as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee state executive and the AICC Working Committee.

Rawat said he did not want the ED action involving his aide to weaken the Congress’ campaign against corruption ahead of the Uttarakhand Assembly elections.

ED Raid Linked To 2016 Recruitment Exam Case

The ED action against Jeena is linked to a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in a 2016 recruitment examination conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC).

Rawat acknowledged that Jeena had served as his OSD and held important responsibilities during his political and government career. He described him as a “humble and hardworking” person but said that if evidence showed he had tampered with OMR sheets in the recruitment of gram sevaks, he would be ashamed of such an act.

However, Rawat said he had “absolutely no faith” in the allegation against his aide.

Rawat Steps Down From Two Congress Posts

Clarifying his decision, Rawat said reports suggesting that he had quit Congress were incorrect.

He said that if the ED action in Dehradun had any impact on the Congress’ narrative and its fight against corruption, he did not want his party positions to become a reason for that struggle to weaken.

Rawat therefore stepped down from his position as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee state executive and as a permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee at the national level.

He also made it clear that he was not resigning from the Congress Party itself.

“Congress Party membership is in my blood and bones,” Rawat said in his clarification, adding that it shaped everything he was and would remain with him for life.

Rawat Defends Recruitment System Set Up During His Tenure

Rawat also defended the recruitment system established during his tenure as Chief Minister, saying the UKSSSC was created with the future of Uttarakhand’s youth in mind.

He claimed that more than 42,000 government recruitments were made during the Congress government’s three-year tenure. He said recruitment boards were also created for sectors including medical and education.

Rawat added that if there had been any error of judgement in appointments made during the process, he would seek forgiveness from the people of Uttarakhand.

Defends Appointment Of UKSSSC Chairman

The former Chief Minister also defended the appointment of the UKSSSC chairman, saying the decision was based on the individual’s previous service record.

Rawat said he had taken action against the chairman after receiving complaints and maintained that the appointment had been made based on his previous service record.

He also said former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (Retd.) had approached him twice regarding the appointment.

Rawat said he continued to believe that Khanduri had always worked against corruption.

Rawat Says Evidence Should Be Given To Agencies

Rawat said it was impossible to know whether every person appointed to a position of responsibility would later engage in wrongdoing.

He maintained that irregularities in recruitment examinations and appointments could affect the future of Uttarakhand’s youth. If any action by him, knowingly or unknowingly, had harmed their interests, he said he considered himself accountable and apologised to the people of the state.

Rawat also challenged anyone with evidence of his involvement in recruitment-related wrongdoing to submit it to the CBI, ED or Uttarakhand Police.

He said that if there had been any lapse on his part, he was prepared to face punishment under the law.

Rawat Urges Media To Correct Reports

In his latest clarification, Rawat urged media organisations to read his original post in full before reporting that he had resigned from Congress.

His statement makes the distinction clear: Rawat has given up two Congress organisational posts, but he has not quit the Congress Party.