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Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday defended Rahul Gandhi over the FIR registered against him for his remarks on the alleged "purification" ritual after Mallikarjun Kharge's Haldwani rally, saying that as Leader of the Opposition, he has every right to raise his voice for Dalits.
Speaking to the reporters, CM Shivkumar said, "This is a great democratic country...Rahul Gandhi has been pressurising that what has been done wrong has to be rectified through an FIR. Since he is raising his voice for the Dalits of this country, and the BJP is filing an FIR against him...as the Leader of the Opposition, he has every right to speak and every right to raise his voice, stand by all sections of society..." Meanwhile, Congress held a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against the BJP government over the FIR against Rahul Gandhi. Speaking at the protest, KPCC President B K Hariprasad said, "We are protesting against the dictatorial attitude of PM Modi and Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi was demanding that an FIR be filed against the people who have insulted one of the seniormost politicians of this country, All India Congress Committee President, Mallikarjun Kharge. Instead of filing an FIR against the people who disrespected the Constitution and disrespected Mallikarjun Kharge, they have filed an FIR against Rahul Gandhi," he told ANI. The remarks came after the FIR was registered on August 30 on a complaint filed by 26-year-old Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar Colony, Haldwani, and a member of the Valmiki community. Kumar is also an office-bearer of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas organisation. Police have invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, including Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(u), along with Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Section 199 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, pertaining to jurisdiction, has also been cited in the FIR. Kumar alleged that Gandhi's remarks hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had demanded immediate registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those who allegedly carried out the purification ritual in Uttarakhand following Kharge's visit. Gandhi had alleged that the purification ritual was "another name for untouchability" and demanded action against those involved under the SC/ST Act. "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. (ANI)
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