Ex-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat’s ‘lion don’t hunt dogs’ against Dalit IAS officer sparks row

The controversy surrounding illegal mining in Uttarakhand has escalated after Haridwar MP and former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat made a controversial remark against Brajesh Sant, a Dalit IAS officer and the state’s Secretary of Mining. The Uttarakhand IAS Association has now formally registered its protest and passed a resolution condemning the statement, which has been widely criticised as casteist.

The issue began when Rawat, speaking in Parliament on Friday, alleged that illegal mining was rampant across Uttarakhand. In response, Brajesh Sant refuted the claims, stating that they were misleading.

The following day, when asked about Sant’s rebuttal, Rawat responded in Delhi, saying, “What to say? Lions do not hunt dogs.” The remark has since drawn severe backlash, with many interpreting it as a caste-based insult directed at Sant.

In Haridwar’s Jaatwada area, a protest rally was held against Rawat’s statement. Meanwhile, BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt sought to downplay Rawat’s allegations, insisting that the party’s transparent policies had significantly increased revenue from legal mining operations. However, opposition leader Yashpal Arya took a different stance, accusing the government of shielding large-scale illegal mining activities.

Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat also weighed in on the matter, offering a mixed response. While he backed Trivendra Rawat’s stance on illegal mining and criticised both the central and state governments for failing to act against it, he condemned the former chief minister’s remark against Sant.

“It is very strange that neither the central government nor the state government is acting against illegal mining. The mining mafia has dug up rivers and tributaries for sand mining,” he said, adding that public officials should be treated with respect.

Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya, speaking in Udham Singh Nagar, supported Trivendra Rawat’s efforts to highlight illegal mining in Parliament. He alleged that large-scale mining operations continue unchecked along the Ganga and other rivers, often using heavy machinery in violation of regulations.

He further claimed that these activities persist even at night, leading to accidents, and that collusion between government officials and the mining mafia has emboldened illegal operations. Congress, he asserted, has long been calling out the corruption surrounding mining in Uttarakhand.

Amid this growing controversy, the Uttarakhand IAS Association held an urgent meeting on March 30, 2025, under the chairmanship of its president, Anand Bardhan.

The association passed a resolution affirming that IAS officers, like all citizens, deserve dignity and respect. It called on political leaders and organisations to refrain from making statements that undermine the self-respect of civil servants, emphasising that such attacks impact morale and efficiency.

The association reiterated that its members are duty-bound to implement government policies effectively and welcomed constructive criticism. However, it stressed that any grievances regarding policy implementation should be addressed through proper administrative channels. The resolution has been submitted to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand and has also been shared with the media.

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand High Court has ordered strict action against illegal mining, but reports suggest that such activities continue unabated in Bageshwar and other regions, raising concerns about administrative inaction.