Statues of Shaktiman were erected in Police Lines and Rishwana Pul areas of Dehradun.
Nearly seven months after he died following the amputation of his hind limb - injured after a brutal beating in a political rally - the ghost of Uttarakhand police horse Shaktiman continues to haunt political parties in the poll-bound state.
Two statues of Shaktiman were erected in Police Lines and Rishwana Pul areas of Dehradun after his death but four days later they were both mysteriously removed. Although there were multiple reasons cited for this, including astrological ones, ultimately, state Chief Minister Harish Rawat had refused to inaugurate the statues (despite giving permission for them), possibly leading to their removal.
Speaking to NDTV, sitting legislator from Mussoorie, Ganesh Joshi, who was arrested after alleged video-evidence of his beating the horse surfaced, on Friday said, "When he (Rawat) tried to politicise the issue by getting statues (of Shaktiman) made he lost 10 of his men. Whenever the Congress plays this dirty politics they lose out, and we as the BJP gain." Mr Joshi was referring to the 12 'rebel' Congress leaders who joined the BJP just days after the Shaktiman incident leading to the collapse of the Rawat government. Mr Joshi is himself contesting on a BJP ticket from his sitting constituency.
"I will not name the doctor but I am told he (Shaktiman) was deliberately given a stronger dose of anesthesia. The poor animal is the victim of politics... Congress politics. When we (BJP) come to power we will get the entire matter probed and punish those responsible for it," Mr Joshi said.
Asked if he was effectively calling for a renewed probe into a case where he was one of the accused (he was arrested on March 18 in connection with the case and later released on bail on March 22), Mr Joshi said "I have actually received sympathy from this; that a plot was hatched to frame me (by the Congress)."
"The public knows the truth, that it was a doctored video used to malign my image. Those in power (Congress) wanted to take advantage of Shaktiman but it horribly backfired on them," Mr Joshi said.
Reacting to the allegations, Mathura Datt Joshi, chief spokesperson of the Uttarakhand State Congress Committee said, "It is actually the BJP which has politicised the entire issue. On 18 March they forced our government to abdicate power and on 16 March they broke Shaktiman's leg. This was a deliberately planned conspiracy and they (BJP) must answer why they forced our government to collapse."
As for why the statues for which permission was given by the Congress were removed four days later, MD Joshi said, "As Rawat Ji has said, let the next government decide what has to be done about the statues. I will echo the same thing."
Meanwhile, Ganesh Joshi says he will launch a strong probe into the matter if brought to power. "I will also try my best to open a first-class veterinary hospital here so that centrally and in the state all animals can be treated here," he vowed.