Archive · 10 Sep 2026
BJP, Congress Intensify Dalit Outreach Amid Haldwani Ritual Row
A ritual was held at a public ground in Haldwani after a Congress rally.
Some people called it a purification ceremony, which caused a political argument.
The BJP said Congress was trying to make the issue political and had not respected Dalit leaders.
Congress said the BJP had used Dalit voters for political benefit.
Both parties are now trying harder to win support from Dalit communities.
This matters because many election seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP won most reserved seats in the last two elections, but Congress improved in 2022.
Punjab and Uttar Pradesh also have many reserved seats, making Dalit voters important there.
The parties are presenting the controversy as evidence that voters should support their own side.
A “purification” ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan followed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s August 8 rally there.
The BJP accused Congress of insulting Dalits and politicising the ritual, while Congress said the BJP uses Dalits for electoral gain.
Uttarakhand has 13 SC-reserved seats, where the BJP won nine in 2022 and Congress won four.
Punjab has 34 SC-reserved seats, and the AAP won 28 of them in 2022 while the BJP won none.
Uttar Pradesh has 84 SC-reserved seats; the BJP won 58 in 2022, while Congress won none.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party, the Indian National Congress, and Dalit voters and organisations are central to the dispute.
- What
- A purification ritual after a Congress rally has triggered political accusations and increased outreach to Scheduled Caste voters.
- When
- The rally was held on August 8; the ritual took place two days later, ahead of Assembly elections scheduled for February 2027 in Uttarakhand.
- Where
- The controversy began at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, with possible electoral implications in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- Both parties are seeking Dalit support because Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh have significant numbers of SC-reserved Assembly constituencies.
Congress position
BJP position
Meaning of the ritual
Congress position
Congress presents the purification ceremony as evidence of disrespect and says the BJP has used Dalits for political gains.
BJP position
The BJP says Congress is turning the Haldwani episode into a political issue and trying to divide society.
Dalit welfare and representation
Congress position
Congress leader Amarjeet Singh says only Congress has worked for Dalit welfare and empowerment and predicts an electoral impact in reserved seats.
BJP position
BJP leaders cite Congress’s alleged history of insulting Dalits and its record concerning B R Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram.
Electoral prospects
Congress position
Congress says Dalit voters no longer trust the BJP and that this could affect results in all three poll-bound states.
BJP position
The BJP says voters will punish Congress and has set a goal of winning all 13 SC-reserved seats in Uttarakhand.
- Uttarakhand Assembly
- 13 of 70 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
- Uttarakhand 2022 result
- The BJP won nine SC-reserved seats and Congress won four.
- Punjab SC representation
- Dalits account for around 32% of Punjab’s population, and 34 of 117 Assembly seats are SC-reserved.
- Punjab 2022 result
- The Aam Aadmi Party won 28 of the 34 SC-reserved seats; the BJP won none.
- Uttar Pradesh SC representation
- Dalits account for around 21% of the population, and 84 of 403 Assembly seats are SC-reserved.
- Uttar Pradesh 2022 result
- The BJP won 58 SC-reserved seats, the Samajwadi Party won 16, and Congress won none.
- BJP outreach
- A planned samrasta yatra will carry soil from Sant Ravidas’s birthplace in Varanasi in 131 urns to different parts of the country.