Haldwani 'purification': Congress demands FIR, calls it SC/ST violation

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reiterated the demand for an FIR over the alleged 'purification' of a stage after Mallikarjun Kharge's Haldwani rally. She and Rahul Gandhi termed the act a shameful mindset and a violation of the SC/ST Act, questioning PM Modi.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday reiterated the party's demand for an FIR against those responsible for alleged "purification" of the stage after party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's rally in Haldwani.

After Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi tore into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi also termed "purification" as a "symbol of an extremely reprehensible and shameful mindset" and a violation of the SC/ST Act. She questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the delay in legal action against people responsible.

Congress Leaders Demand Action

In an X post, she wrote, "Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji addressed a rally in Haldwani, after which people from BJP-RSS 'purified' his stage. This 'purification' is not only a symbol of an extremely reprehensible and shameful mindset but also a grave violation of our Constitution and the SC/ST Act, and a legal crime. 20 days have passed, but no action has been taken by the honourable Prime Minister ji and his government - what's the reason???"

"If the honourable Prime Minister Modi ji truly respects the Constitution of our country, then he should ensure that an FIR is filed against those who committed this crime in Uttarakhand and that action is taken under the SC/ST Act," the Congress leader posted.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi called for an FIR and said, "This act violates the SC/ST Act. Performing a 'purification' ritual is a crime. Yet, no action has been taken. Therefore, we demand that an FIR be registered immediately against those who carried out this purification ritual in Uttarakhand."

"The Prime Minister claims to belong to every caste and to be the Prime Minister of all of India. Yet, the state chief of his party states that the purification was justified," Gandhi said.

The Controversy and BJP's Response

The controversy erupted after Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha alleged that a purification ritual had been carried out at the Haldwani venue following his August 8 Congress rally, which was organised as part of the party's preparations for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. After the event, Kharge demanded legal action in an X post.

However, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, during a press conference in the national capital, claimed there was "no caste angle" in the video related to the Uttarakhand 'shuddhikaran' (purification) controversy. He accused the Congress of repeatedly raising caste and other similar issues to create divisions in Hindu society. (ANI)

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