DEHRADUN: A row over the “purification” ritual following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Haldwani rally has escalated into a wider political confrontation in Uttarakhand, with an FIR against Rahul Gandhi also adding to tensions well ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The case has pushed the row beyond the state’s political arena and into the national spotlight. The FIR reportedly accuses Gandhi of giving a caste-based colour to the incident.
The Congress, however, alleges that the action is an attempt to divert attention from the purported insult to Kharge and the alleged purification of the rally venue.
Congress workers have launched protests in several parts of the country against the FIR. The party is now seeking to frame the controversy not merely as an insult to Kharge but as an issue involving social justice, Dalit dignity and the Opposition’s democratic voice.
As part of its campaign, the Congress plans to lay siege to the Uttarakhand chief minister’s residence on September 7. The protest is aimed at intensifying pressure on the BJP government and demanding action over the alleged purification episode.
The controversy has also reached Parliament, where Kharge raised the matter and demanded action from the BJP leadership.
And on Thursday, he wrote to BJP leader JP Nadda, reminding him of the assurance reportedly given in Parliament.
The Congress maintains that authorities should have acted if a purification ritual was conducted after Kharge’s rally.
The BJP, on the other hand, has questioned Gandhi’s alleged attempt to portray the episode through the prism of caste. These competing narratives are now expected to become part of the campaign for 2027.
For the BJP, the immediate challenge is to prevent the Congress from turning the controversy into a nationwide political weapon while keeping the electoral discourse focused on development and the state government’s performance.
Amid the intensifying political battle, the BJP has accelerated its election preparations. Party national president Nitin Nabin is scheduled to visit Uttarakhand on September 9 and 10 for consultations with the state leadership on organisational and electoral strategy.
This will be Nabin’s second official visit to Uttarakhand after assuming charge as national president. He had earlier undertaken a three-day organisational tour of the state towards the end of May.
Congress spokesperson Pratima Singh accused the BJP of resorting to caste politics after losing ground on its religious narrative.
“After falling behind in the politics of religion, the BJP is now trying to mislead Uttarakhand’s people through caste-based politics,” Singh said.
“The politically aware people of the state have already made up their minds to show the BJP the door in 2027,” Singh added.