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Uttarakhand Congress in-charge Kumari Selja on Monday criticised the BJP government over the Haldwani 'purification' ritual row, alleging that no action was taken against those who conducted the ritual after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting, while an FIR was registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for raising his voice against the act.
In a post shared on X, Selja said, "No action against those who conducted the 'purification' ritual after Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji's public meeting, but an FIR against Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi ji for raising his voice against that casteist act. Is this the justice of the BJP government?" "First, the 'purification' was carried out. Then, the Uttarakhand BJP President openly defended it. And now, when Shri Rahul Gandhi ji demanded legal action against the culprits, the BJP government in Uttarakhand has instead filed a case against him," she added. Calling it an example of the BJP-RSS's "anti-Dalit and anti-Constitution mindset", Selja said, "Shri Rahul Gandhi ji raised the same question that Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji himself had already raised in Parliament: that this act of 'purification' made him feel the sting of untouchability and humiliated him. But look at the BJP government's approach. Raise questions about those who conducted the 'purification'--FIR. Talk about Dalit dignity--FIR. Raise your voice for the Constitution--FIR." Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue, Selja said, "Why is the Prime Minister silent on this entire matter? The BJP-RSS should dispel this illusion that the fear of cases will make Shri Rahul Gandhi ji or the Congress back down. This is the Gandhi family, which has a history of sacrifice and dedication for the country. Neither FIRs nor the pressure of power can intimidate or silence this voice. The Congress will give a fitting response to this through democratic and legal means." "The fight against the casteist mentality behind the 'purification'--and for the protection of Dalit dignity and the Constitution--will be waged with full force," she added. https://x.com/Kumari_Selja/status/2094237068293738873 Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal also criticised the FIR against Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the government was targeting the Opposition leader for raising the voice of the aggrieved party. "Rahul Gandhi is raising the voice of the aggrieved party. Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and he is upholding the provisions enshrined in the Constitution. But this government respects neither the Constitution nor democracy. This is all just the government's dictatorship," Godiyal said. He further alleged that a complaint submitted by a person from the aggrieved side regarding the alleged casteist undertones of the 'purification' ritual was ignored, while action was taken on the complaint against Rahul Gandhi. "At the very same police station where the complaint against Rahul Gandhi was filed, a person from the aggrieved party also submitted an application stating that the act of 'purification', involving casteist undertones, was an insult. They demanded action be taken against the perpetrators. That application was filed on the 18th. Yet, that complaint was ignored at the station, while the application from the actual offenders was entertained," he said. "With this, one can understand just how scared and terrified the government is. What the government is doing in this state of fear and irrationality is evident to everyone," Godiyal added. Congress leaders' reactions came after Haldwani City Kotwali Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi over his statements regarding the 'shuddhikaran yajna' (purification ritual) conducted at the venue where Kharge addressed a Congress rally on August 8. The FIR was registered on August 30 on a complaint by Amit Kumar, a member of the Valmiki community, who alleged that Rahul Gandhi's remarks hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community. Police invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(u), along with Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had described the purification ritual as "another name for untouchability" and demanded an FIR against those involved, alleging that the act violated constitutional values. "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," Gandhi had said. The controversy began after a Congress rally at Ramlila Ground in Haldwani on August 8, ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. Members of a right-wing group later conducted a 'shuddhikaran' ritual at the venue, triggering criticism from Congress leaders. Kharge had raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, alleging that the ritual was linked to his identity as a Dalit leader and questioning whether such practices were acceptable in a democracy. Meanwhile, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi rejected the allegations, saying there was "no caste angle" in the incident and accusing Congress of trying to create divisions in Hindu society. (ANI)
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