Congress Stages Silent Protest Over Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row; BJP Accuses it of Dividing People on 'Communal & Caste Lines'

Haldwani: Congress workers on Sunday staged a silent protest in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, against a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) havan held at Ramlila Maidan after party president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally there.

Uttarakhand Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya said the demonstration would be peaceful and include the recitation of the Ram Dhun. He claimed the administration had denied permission for the protest but asserted that Congress would proceed regardless. Arya reiterated the demand for an FIR in the matter and said the agitation would not end with the day’s event.  

“Congress workers across Uttarakhand will visit police stations tomorrow and submit complaints seeking registration of an FIR,” he said. The party has also planned a major protest and march in Dehradun on September 7, with workers expected from across the state.  

Arya described the ritual as “not just an insult to Kharge ji; it is an insult to the entire Dalit community,” and said Congress would continue its campaign until action is taken.  

Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Pratima Singh accused the BJP of being “anti-Dalit.” She linked the episode to historical allegations against the party, including claims of opposition to B.R. Ambedkar and the Hindu Code Bill, and said the purification ritual reflected the promotion of untouchability even in the 21st century.  

Singh noted that Rahul Gandhi had spoken out against the incident and demanded an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those responsible, along with an apology from the state BJP president.  

The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee will lodge FIRs at multiple locations across all districts of the state on Monday over the incident, ANI reported. 

BJP Reaction To Congress Protest

Responding to the controversy, BJP national spokesperson C.R. Kesavan criticised Rahul Gandhi’s remarks and accused Congress of prioritising “dynastic welfare” over Dalit welfare.  

“To further the interests of their first family, the Congress has never hesitated to preach the politics of polarisation, trying to divide people along communal and caste lines. This is precisely what the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are doing in Haldwani,” Kesavan told ANI.  

He claimed Dalit youth had exposed what he called Rahul Gandhi’s “false narrative” about the events in Haldwani and alleged that Congress has a record of disrespecting leaders from disadvantaged communities while pursuing “poisonous politics of religious appeasement.”

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Saturday claimed there was "no caste angle" in the video related to the Uttarakhand 'shuddhikaran' (purification) controversy and accused the Congress of repeatedly raising caste and other similar issues to create divisions in Hindu society.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Trivedi said, "It is quite clear from these two videos that there was no angle of caste in it. But... I said they have lost their creativity. So every time on their worn-out line, they keep busy finding new ways to create conflict in India."

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had adopted different issues, including caste, language, region, gender and the distinction between forward and backward classes, to create divisions.

Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas President Defends Ritual

Amid a growing political row over the incident, The main organiser of the ceremony has hit back at the Opposition's criticism.

Girish Chandra Pandey, President of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, defended the ritual as a routine step to restore physical cleanliness and religious sanctity to a sacred community ground. He denied any caste-based intent or personal targeting of Kharge.

Speaking to ANI, the organiser of the ceremony condemned Rahul Gandhi’s remarks and alleged that the Leader of the Opposition lacked complete information on the issue.

“The purification ritual was performed to restore the sanctity of the place. We cleaned up the filth left behind on the stage—whether liquor bottles, urine, spat-out paan or various wrappers—and rendered the site fit for a yajna. We then conducted a yajna to formally purify the area. How various political parties or individuals choose to exploit this for political gain is their own prerogative. However, the remarks made today by Rahul Gandhi are condemnable. Firstly, he lacks information regarding the full details of the matter. Secondly, regarding his statements—on one hand, he speaks of ‘saving the Constitution,’ yet on the other, he simply wants his own obstinate demands met...” Pandey said.

Also Read: 'Time to Live the Dreams I Saw for My People': IAS Divya Mittal Resigns After ‘Unforgettable’ 13-Year Journey in Service