Archive · 2 Sep 2026
BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi After Haldwani Purification FIR
The dispute is about a ritual held at a public ground in Haldwani after a Congress rally.
Rahul Gandhi said the ritual showed untouchability against Dalits.
A local complainant said the ritual was only a cleanliness and religious event and was not connected to caste.
Police then registered an FIR against Gandhi over his comments.
The BJP says Gandhi and Congress leaders spread false information.
To express this view, the BJP held a “buddhi shuddhi” ritual in Dehradun.
Congress disagrees and wants action against the people who performed the original ritual.
Congress also plans a march and other protests.
The Uttarakhand BJP held a “buddhi shuddhi yagna” targeting Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders in Dehradun.
The ritual followed an FIR against Gandhi over his comments about a purification event at Haldwani’s Ram Lila ground.
The complainant said Gandhi wrongly described the event as untouchability and a crime against Scheduled Castes.
The BJP filed complaints in multiple districts, but police said no fresh FIR had been registered from them.
Congress plans a September 7 march and protests demanding action against those who conducted the Haldwani ritual.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders, the Uttarakhand BJP, and local complainants are involved; Mallikarjun Kharge and Harish Rawat also responded publicly.
- What
- A political dispute escalated through a BJP “buddhi shuddhi” ritual, police complaints against Gandhi, and Congress protests over an earlier Haldwani purification ritual.
- When
- The BJP ritual and new developments occurred on Tuesday; Gandhi’s cited press conference was on August 29, and Congress announced a march for September 7.
- Where
- The original ritual took place at Ram Lila ground in Haldwani; the BJP ritual was held at a temple in Dehradun, while related protests occurred elsewhere, including New Delhi.
- Why
- The BJP says Gandhi falsely portrayed the Haldwani event as caste-based discrimination, while Congress says the purification ritual reflected untouchability and demands action against its organisers.
Congress’s Position
BJP’s Position
Meaning of the Haldwani ritual
Congress’s Position
Congress says the purification ritual illustrated untouchability and discrimination against Dalits.
BJP’s Position
The BJP says the event was not caste-based and that members of the Scheduled Castes participated in it.
Rahul Gandhi’s comments
Congress’s Position
Congress maintains that Gandhi correctly raised concerns about the treatment of Dalits and demands an FIR against those who conducted the ritual.
BJP’s Position
The BJP says Gandhi made unverified and false claims, linked the event to Mallikarjun Kharge and the Dalit community, and created social hostility.
Police action
Congress’s Position
Congress is protesting the FIR against Gandhi and seeking action against the Haldwani ritual’s organisers.
BJP’s Position
The BJP says its complaints seek a fair investigation into Gandhi’s public statements rather than action based only on political differences.
- Original event
- A cleanliness drive and religious ritual took place at Haldwani’s Ram Lila ground on August 11.
- Rahul Gandhi’s position
- Gandhi called the purification ritual a crime illustrating untouchability and linked it to a BJP-RSS mindset.
- FIR
- An FIR was lodged against Gandhi in Haldwani following a complaint by Amit Kumar.
- BJP complaints
- The BJP submitted complaints in all 19 organisational districts, including one at Roorkee police station.
- Police status
- A senior Uttarakhand police official said no fresh FIR had been registered from the BJP’s complaints so far.
- BJP ritual
- The state BJP held a “buddhi shuddhi yagna” for Gandhi and other Congress leaders at a Dehradun temple.
- Congress response
- Congress announced a September 7 march to the chief minister’s residence and held protests in Haldwani.