Source Hindustan Times
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately order the registration of an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against individuals who allegedly performed a “purification” ritual at a rally venue previously used by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital on Saturday, Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He condemned the shuddhikaran (purification) ritual, calling it a blatant display of untouchability and a criminal act under the Indian Constitution.
The Haldwani Incident
The controversy stems from a Congress public meeting addressed by Kharge, a veteran Dalit leader, at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, on August 8. Two days later, on August 10, members of right-wing groups reportedly conducted a shuddhikaran havan to “purify” the grounds. Despite 20 days passing since the incident, Gandhi noted that no case has been filed under the SC/ST Act and no action has been taken by the authorities.
Ideological Battle and Systemic Discrimination
Framing the incident as a broader ideological clash, Gandhi stated that the political contest in India is fundamentally between the Constitution and the worldview of the BJP and RSS.
“Performing a ‘purification’ ritual is a crime. ‘Purification’ is actually just another name for untouchability,” Gandhi remarked. He further alleged that such rituals send a message that Dalits are “unclean” and should not be touched, reflecting a mindset that opposes the prosperity, dignity, and upward mobility of the Dalit community.
During the press conference, Gandhi played a video purportedly showing the BJP’s Uttarakhand state chief justifying the purification ritual. He questioned the silence of Prime Minister Modi, who frequently claims to represent all castes, urging him to direct both the central and state governments to ensure justice for the Congress president.
Gandhi also widened the scope of his criticism by highlighting ongoing, systemic atrocities faced by marginalized communities across India. He pointed to instances where Dalit students are forced to clean school toilets, are barred from drinking from common village wells, and are served in separate cups at tea stalls.
“This is not the issue of Kharge alone. This is an issue of all Dalits in Hindustan,” Gandhi asserted, emphasizing that if such discrimination could happen to the president of a national party, the plight of an ordinary Dalit citizen remains a pressing concern.
