Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against those who performed a “purification ritual” at a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a gathering there.
Addressing a press conference at Indira Bhawan, Gandhi called the ritual an act of untouchability and a violation of the Constitution. He said the incident reflected what he described as a “BJP-RSS mindset” opposed to the dignity and progress of Dalits.
Kharge had addressed a Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on August 8. Two days later, members of the Shri Ram Sena reportedly conducted a shuddhikaran havan at the same venue. The Congress has alleged that the ritual amounted to caste-based discrimination, citing Kharge’s Dalit identity.
Kharge had earlier raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, saying the incident had caused him to feel the “sting of untouchability.”
Gandhi questioned the government’s commitment to combating caste discrimination and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure legal action against those responsible.
The BJP has distanced itself from the ritual. BJP president and Leader of the House J P Nadda condemned the incident as “painful and unacceptable” and denied any party connection with the organizers.
Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt, however, said the ritual was related to the political atmosphere at the venue and slogans raised there, rather than Kharge’s caste. He accused the Congress of exaggerating the matter for political gain.