New Delhi, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Congress on Monday announced nationwide protests against BJP leaders over the ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ceremony held at a Haldwani venue after party president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a rally there, while strongly opposing the FIR registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in connection with the controversy.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said party workers would take to the streets on Monday evening to demand action against those allegedly involved in the incident and to defend constitutional values of social justice.
“The day after LOP Rahul Gandhi ji’s bold Press Conference demanding that BJP workers be prosecuted for the ‘purification’ done after Kharge ji’s rally, the Uttarakhand Police has filed an FIR against Rahul ji himself! This is nothing but the pot calling the kettle black,” Venugopal said in a post on X.
He accused the BJP of defending what he termed “abhorrently casteist behaviour” and alleged that the incident reflected an attack on social justice and constitutional values.
“What the BJP has done is to attack the values of social justice enshrined in the Constitution, and the Congress will fight against this attack tooth and nail,” Venugopal said, adding that the party would continue its efforts until those responsible for the alleged insult to Kharge were punished and the FIR against Gandhi was withdrawn.
“This evening, Congress workers across the country will be on the streets demanding prosecution of the BJP leaders who insulted Kharge ji and to defend our Constitution against the BJP’s assault on its values of social justice,” he said.
The FIR against Gandhi was registered following a complaint by Amit Kumar, a member of the Valmiki community in Haldwani. Police said the case was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) concerning promotion of enmity between groups and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. Provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, were also invoked.
Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar and member of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, alleged that Gandhi had given a casteist interpretation to the religious ritual held at the venue. He claimed Gandhi’s August 29 press conference remarks hurt community sentiments and portrayed those involved in the ceremony as practising untouchability and being “anti-Dalit”.
Kumar said he belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and claimed that people from different sections, including members of Scheduled Castes, had participated in the ritual. He maintained that the ceremony had no connection with Kharge’s caste.
The controversy began after some people allegedly conducted a ‘purification yajna’ at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground on August 11, three days after Kharge addressed a public meeting there on August 8.
The Congress has described the incident as evidence of what it calls the BJP’s anti-Dalit mindset. The BJP has defended the action, claiming that the venue was left littered following Kharge’s rally and that inappropriate slogans were raised at a religious site.
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