Congress Accuses BJP of ‘Anti-Dalit’ Mindset After FIR Against Rahul Gandhi

The Congress on Monday strongly criticised the BJP-led Uttarakhand government after an FIR was registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on an alleged ‘purification yajna’ conducted at the venue of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s public meeting in Haldwani.

The FIR was filed following a complaint by Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar and a member of the Valmiki community. Kumar alleged that Gandhi’s remarks at a press conference in New Delhi on August 29 gave a casteist interpretation to the religious ritual and hurt the sentiments of the community.

According to police, the case invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to promotion of enmity between groups and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 has also been invoked.

Kumar claimed he was present during the ritual and cleanliness drive and accused Gandhi of portraying those involved as practising “untouchability” and being “anti-Dalit.” He also said members of different communities, including Scheduled Castes, participated in the activity and that it had no connection with Kharge’s caste.

The controversy began after some individuals allegedly performed a ‘purification yajna’ at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground on August 11, three days after Kharge addressed a Congress rally there on August 8. The Congress described the ritual as an affront to Kharge and evidence of an anti-Dalit mindset.

The BJP, however, defended the action, claiming the venue had been left littered after the rally and that slogans inappropriate for a religious site had been raised.

Rahul Gandhi later criticised the incident and demanded an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those responsible. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also sought action, calling the episode “reprehensible and shameful.”

Reacting to the FIR, Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand Kumari Selja accused the BJP-RSS of an “anti-Dalit and anti-Constitution” mindset and said the Congress would fight the matter through democratic and legal means.