Haldwani Ritual Row: BJP Says Party Has No Link to ‘Purification’ Event, Calls for Fair Probe

New Delhi: A dispute erupted in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday after Congress President and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of a religious ritual held at a rally ground in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. The BJP responded by clearly stating that neither the party nor the government had any connection to the event, and promised a full and fair investigation.

Kharge held a public rally at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on August 8. A few days later, a group called Shri Ram Sena reportedly performed a havan, a religious purification ritual, on the same stage. Kharge raised the matter in Parliament, saying he had spoken only about governance and public welfare during his speech and had not mentioned any religion or community. He called the ritual insulting and linked it to caste discrimination.

BJP's response: no support for the act, full probe promised

Union Minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda addressed the matter directly in Parliament. He made it clear that the BJP does not support or endorse this kind of activity in any form. Nadda called the incident deeply regrettable and assured the House that a thorough investigation would be carried out to identify those responsible.

Rajya Sabha Chairman calls for unity, backs investigation

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan also spoke on the issue. He firmly condemned untouchability and stressed that all citizens should be treated as equal. He asked the government to investigate the matter fully, and said that if the allegations are proven true, those responsible should be caught and punished. This shows the House leadership, not just the BJP, took the complaint seriously and did not try to brush it aside.

The BJP's explanation from Uttarakhand

Meanwhile, in Uttarakhand, the state BJP unit gave its own account of why the ritual may have taken place. According to the party, certain religious slogans linked to another faith were reportedly raised at the Ramlila ground, a site considered holy by many locals, during the Congress rally. The state BJP said this had upset local sentiment, and suggested this context may explain why some groups felt the need to perform the ritual afterwards. The party maintained this was not an official BJP action, but a response from local groups reacting to what they saw as a religious sensitivity being disturbed.

Read More: Monsoon Session Ends: 12 Bills Passed, Govt Blames Opp. for Washout