He is principal correspondent based at Bhopal. He covers environment and wildlife, state administration, BJP and other saffron organisations. He has special interest in social issues based stories.
Articles by Neeraj Santoshi
Dhami ends VIP darshan. Bureaucrats, ministers can’t jump the queue at Char Dham
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said instructions have been issued to scrap the practice of VIP darshans at Char Dham. “We have made it the same for everyone,” he said
Updated on May 13, 2022 09:11 PM IST
Yogi Adityanath stresses need to check depletion of water resources in Uttarakhand with conservation steps
Hill state also facing migration challenge, says Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath who is on a three-day visit to Uttarakhand
Published on May 04, 2022 10:35 PM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Corbett chief, 2 IFS officers sacked over illegal construction
- The orders were issued by principal secretary forests RK Sudhanshu on Wednesday. HT has seen a copy of the orders.
Published on Apr 28, 2022 06:18 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Will start verification drive to stop those who can disturb peace: CM Dhami
- Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made the remark when asked about the demands of seers in Haridwar to prohibit the entry of non-Hindus to Char Dham shrines. The Char Dham shrines include the Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath and the annual yatra attracts lakhs of pilgrims.
Updated on Apr 20, 2022 02:29 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Pushkar Singh Dhami retains 21 depts, gives finance to new face in cabinet
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s cabinet has eight ministers including three new faces.
Updated on Mar 29, 2022 11:47 PM IST
Ritu Khanduri elected speaker of Uttarakhand legislative assembly
Ritu Khanduri, daughter of former chief minister and Union minister Major Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, defeated Congress’s former cabinet minister Surendra Singh Negi from Kotdwar in Pauri Garhwal district. Khanduri’s victory assumes importance as she was denied a party ticket from her seat Yamkeshwar and was later asked to contest from the new seat of Kotdwar.
Published on Mar 27, 2022 04:02 AM IST
U’khand cabinet gives nod to form panel to implement UCC: CM
The panel of experts will he headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or high court, said Dhami after the cabinet meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government.
Updated on Mar 25, 2022 02:12 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Dhami sworn in as Uttarakhand CM for his second term
Puskar Singh Dhami was sworn in as chief minister of Uttarakhand, for the second time in eight months, during a ceremony at Parade Ground here in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday
Updated on Mar 24, 2022 12:37 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Pushkar Singh Dhami starts 2nd term as Uttarakhand CM; inducts 8 ministers
Uttarakhnad chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has retained five cabinet ministers and inducted three fresh faces to his team.
Updated on Mar 23, 2022 04:39 PM IST
What is wrong with saffronisation of education system, says V-P Naidu
Foreign dignitaries coming to India speak in their mother tongue instead of English despite knowing it because they take pride in their own language, Naidu added.
Updated on Mar 22, 2022 03:01 PM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
After poll defeat, Dhami faces a credibility challenge in 2nd term
- At the same time, however, he helped build trust in the government after the second Covid wave as the third chief minister of the state in just four months.
Updated on Mar 22, 2022 12:13 PM IST
2nd terms for CMs in Uttarakhand, Goa
Dhami, who took over as the youngest CM of the hill state in July last year, was unanimously elected as the leader of BJP’s legislative party.
Updated on Mar 22, 2022 01:45 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi and Gerard D’Souza, Dehradun/panaji
Pushkar Singh Dhami to continue as Uttarakhand chief minister
The BJP has chosen Pushkar Singh Dhami despite his failure from Khatima seat. The decision has been seen as a recognition of his ability to provide a stable and controversy-free government in Uttarakhand.
Updated on Mar 21, 2022 09:54 PM IST
Neeraj Santoshi
What is wrong with saffronisation of education system, says Vice Prez Naidu
- “Prolonged colonial rule deprived large sections, including women of education and only a small elite class had access to formal education. It is necessary to provide quality education to all, only then can our education be inclusive and democratic,” Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said.
Published on Mar 20, 2022 04:49 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Uncertainty over Dhami’s future after loss of his seat
The BJP won 47 number of the 70 seats in the assembly. The Congress finished a distant second with 19 seats.
Updated on Mar 12, 2022 11:40 PM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Modi factor, development plank, Hindutva secured BJP Uttarakhand win
BJP leaders focussed on development works including Char Dham all-weather road, Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway project, and Jal Jivan Mission for the piped water supply to 800,000 households
Updated on Mar 12, 2022 07:04 AM IST
BJP registers another big win in Uttarakhand
The Congress failed in its bid to stage a comeback despite being on a mission to dislodge the BJP in the hill state
Published on Mar 11, 2022 12:47 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi and Sandeep Rawat, Dehradun/haridwar
Why Harish Rawat and Congress lost Uttarakhand elections
Harish Rawat’s and the Congress’ defeat in Uttarakhand are being attributed to various factors, ranging from power struggle to factionalism within the party.
Updated on Mar 10, 2022 06:08 PM IST
Haridwar hate speeches: Uttarakhand HC rejects Tyagi’s bail plea
He was the first person to be arrested in the case on January 13 days after the videos of calls for violence against Muslims went viral on social media and provoked outrage
Published on Mar 09, 2022 02:13 PM IST
All is not well with Uttarakhand BJP as 3 MLAs allege betrayal by leaders
The Uttarakhand BJP is now in damage control mode and has started taking action against some leaders. Meanwhile, the Congress has termed these developments as an indirect admission by the BJP candidates that they have lost the elections.
Updated on Feb 16, 2022 09:55 PM IST
Neeraj Santoshi and Sandeep Rawat
BJP, Congress bigwigs among 632 vying for power in Uttarakhand
There are a total of 8,172,173 voters in the state and 11,697 polling booths spread over 8,624 locations, said Chief Electoral Officer Saujanya, who does not use a surname.
Updated on Feb 14, 2022 03:06 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
U’khand polls: 17% candidates have criminal cases against them, shows ADR report
Out of 626 candidates, whose self-sworn affidavits were analysed by the Uttarakhand Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms, 61 candidates (10%) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves
Updated on Feb 07, 2022 05:14 PM IST
Ready to apologise to Congress’s Harish Rawat: Harak Singh Rawat
Uttarakhand elections: Harak Singh Rawat, who was expelled from the BJP on January 16, said on Tuesday that he is ready to apologise to Congress leader Harish Rawat.
Updated on Jan 19, 2022 04:56 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Why Uttarakhand BJP’s pre-emptive strike hurts Harak Singh Rawat, helps Congress
Uttarakhand election 2020: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decision to drop Harak Singh Rawat from his cabinet and his expulsion from the BJP has shrunk Rawat’s capacity to negotiate terms for switching to the Congress.
Updated on Jan 18, 2022 02:41 AM IST
Uttarakhand elections: Changing CMs, Covid management in focus
Uttarakhand elections: The Congress said it will target the BJP government for frequently changing CMs, the fake Covid-19 testing scam, high unemployment, increased migration and poor healthcare.
Updated on Jan 09, 2022 07:59 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Dehradun
Uttarakhand high court stays new mining rules, issues notice to state govt
A petition in the high court challenged the new mining rules, saying it provided for allotment of mining leases by recommendatory procedure rather than competitive bidding in disregard of the State Mining Policy of 2017.
Published on Jan 07, 2022 11:44 PM IST
Consider virtual rallies, online voting: Uttarakhand HC to ECI
The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday asked the ECI to consider virtual rallies for the assembly polls in the state due this year in light of the rising Covid-19 cases.
Updated on Jan 06, 2022 04:56 AM IST
Neeraj Santoshi, Hindustan Times, Dehradun
Uttarakhand high court asks EC to consider ban on large rallies amid Covid surge
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to consider banning large public meetings and allowing only virtual rallies for the state assembly elections expected to be held next month
Updated on Jan 05, 2022 07:17 PM IST
Uttarakhand HC issues notices over plea for deferment of state polls
PILs have been filed by Sachdanand Dabral, Dushyant Mainali, Anu Pant and Rajendra Arya related to various issues regarding the fight against the pandemic in the state.
Updated on Dec 30, 2021 04:31 AM IST
Uttarakhand minister storms out of cabinet meet, BJP says he hasn’t resigned
BJP party state president Madan Kaushik dismissed reports of Rawat’s resignation.
Updated on Dec 25, 2021 03:55 AM IST
