The wave of protests over the paper leak scandal in Uttarakhand has taken a new turn with the sudden entry of Leftist toolkits into the capital city. What began as a movement of educated unemployed youth, led by Bobby Panwar and his colleagues under the banner of the Uttarakhand Swabhiman Morcha, is now witnessing inflammatory slogans reminiscent of JNU, Jamia, and Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi.
Eyewitnesses at Dehradun’s Parade Ground reported hearing slogans such as “We will snatch our freedom” a phrase historically associated with Leftist agitators. Questions are now being raised about whether these groups have been mobilised by the Congress party or brought in from other states to incite unrest ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections.
The movement, originally started by the unemployed has quickly transformed into the Uttarakhand Swabhiman Morcha, with a noticeable influx of Leftist youth and journalists aligned with such organisations. The sudden surge of external elements has sparked debates over the funding and backing of the Morcha.
Observers note that such toolkits specialise in exploiting genuine grievances, mobilising youth through social media, and turning protests against BJP governments into ideological battlegrounds. Reports suggest that apart from attacking the BJP, the RSS other related right wing organisations were openly criticised during the protests, with calls to keep them out of protest sites.
The controversy gained further traction when the names of two accused in the paper leak Khalid Malik and his sister Sabia surfaced. The BJP termed the scandal part of “cheating jihad”, which rattled the toolkit ecosystem, especially as a significant number of Muslim youth and women have joined the protests.
The Dhami government, which has taken a tough stand on issues like land jihad, spit jihad, love jihad, and mazar jihad, sees the development as part of a larger conspiracy against Sanatan culture in Devbhoomi. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is celebrating its 100th anniversary, making it a ripe opportunity for Leftist groups to counter saffron forces.
The possibility of other agencies or organisations backing Khalid Malik and Sabia has not been ruled out. Despite Uttarakhand’s strict anti-cheating law, Malik and others dared to orchestrate the leak, raising suspicions of deeper networks at play.
The opposition has also intensified its attack, attempting to dent the Dhami government’s record of providing over 25,000 transparent government jobs in the past four years. Political observers believe Leftist toolkits are working overtime to discredit these achievements.
