Kharge Demands Legal Action Over 'Purification' Ritual at His Rally Venue
The Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has demanded legal action against a right-wing group that performed a 'purification' ceremony at the venue of his public rally in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. Mr Kharge, who belongs to the Dalit community, said the incident left him humiliated and reflected the lack of space for Dalits in the country.
Mr Kharge addressed a rally, titled 'Vijay Shankhnaad', at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on August 8. Two days later, on August 10, a group called Shri Ram Sena performed a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) havan at the same ground. He raised the issue in Parliament on August 13, the final day of the Monsoon Session.
"Lakhs of people were present at my rally. I did not mention any community or religion in my speech. I only spoke about issues concerning the government. But after my speech, people performed a havan to 'purify' the stage. Is this the way in a democracy?" Mr Kharge asked in the Rajya Sabha. He added, "The purification of the stage made me feel the sting of untouchability and humiliated me."
The Congress chief demanded that a case be registered under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, commonly referred to as the Untouchability Act, and that those responsible be arrested and jailed. He said he had never sought protection on the basis of his caste and had the strength to fight.
Responding in the House, Union Minister and BJP leader J.P. Nadda described the incident as unfortunate and denied any involvement of BJP members. He assured that an inquiry would be conducted. The BJP has distanced itself from Shri Ram Sena.
Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal claimed that Shri Ram Sena is associated with the BJP, a charge the BJP has denied. Mr Godiyal said the ritual was performed solely because Mr Kharge is from the Dalit community and accused the BJP of fostering caste divisions. He also questioned the district police for not taking action against the group.
A differing view was presented by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and BJP spokesperson Khajan Das. He claimed that certain slogans raised during the rally had hurt the sentiments of the Sanatan community, which he said triggered the reaction. He added that Ramlila Maidan holds religious significance for Hindus.
The incident has sparked a political war of words, with the Congress invoking the legacy of Dalit icons such as B.R. Ambedkar, while the BJP accused the Congress of disrespecting Dalit leaders like Sitaram Kesri and Babu Jagjivan Ram.
The larger issue of caste-based discrimination and the need for religious harmony in democratic India remains at the heart of the controversy. The incident has renewed calls for sensitive handling of public spaces shared by all communities.
