Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has intensified his attack on the BJP and RSS over an alleged “purification” ceremony carried out at a venue in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally earlier this month.
Gandhi has demanded that an FIR be registered against those responsible, arguing that the alleged act raises serious concerns about untouchability and discrimination.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Gandhi described the alleged ceremony as a criminal act and called for immediate legal action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Rahul Gandhi Calls For Immediate FIR
Gandhi said authorities should not ignore the incident and insisted that both the Uttarakhand government and the Centre have a responsibility to ensure that action is taken.
“This act violates the SC/ST (Atrocities) Act. Performing a ‘purification’ ritual is a crime. Yet, no action has been taken,” Gandhi said.
He also demanded justice for Kharge, who is a senior Congress leader and the party’s national president.
“We are demanding justice for the Congress president. It is the duty of the central and state governments to ensure that Kharge gets justice,” Gandhi said.
The allegations have become a fresh flashpoint between the Congress and BJP, with Gandhi linking the controversy to wider questions about caste discrimination and the treatment of Dalits.
Gandhi Accuses BJP And RSS Of Promoting Discriminatory Mindset
The Congress leader alleged that the incident reflected what he described as the mindset of the BJP and RSS towards Dalits.
Gandhi claimed that actions of this nature suggest that some people do not want Dalits to progress, succeed or live with dignity.
He also raised questions about the role of BJP leaders in Uttarakhand and alleged that the state’s BJP leadership had supported the activity.
Gandhi said the matter should be dealt with through the law rather than being reduced to a political argument.
Congress Warns Of Further Action
The Leader of Opposition also indicated that the Congress would not simply drop the matter if the authorities failed to act.
“If they take the action that ought to be taken, very good. If they do not take action, then there will certainly be a reaction from us,” he said.
Gandhi said the Congress was primarily interested in seeing whether the authorities would take appropriate legal action.
He also argued that the larger issue was not merely about whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi or another political leader publicly commented on the controversy.
According to Gandhi, the key question is whether practices associated with untouchability are being allowed to continue.
Rahul Gandhi Seeks PM Modi’s Intervention
Gandhi specifically called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter.
He said the Prime Minister should ensure that an FIR is registered under the SC/ST Act if the allegations are found to constitute an offence.
Gandhi argued that the government must demonstrate that the law applies equally to everyone and that incidents involving alleged caste discrimination cannot be ignored.
The Congress leader’s remarks come as the party continues to demand action over the alleged ceremony at the Haldwani rally venue.
The allegations and political claims made by Gandhi are part of an ongoing political dispute, and any criminal liability would depend on an investigation and the findings of the relevant authorities.
