Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Rahul Gandhi Demands FIR Over Kharge Haldwani Purification Row
A purification ceremony was held at a place where Mallikarjun Kharge had spoken at a rally in Haldwani.
It reportedly happened on 10 August 2026.
Shri Ram Sena members were reported to have carried it out.
Rahul Gandhi said the ceremony was wrong and treated Kharge as if he were impure.
He called it untouchability and a crime.
Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order the police to register a case.
The Congress said the ritual targeted Kharge because he is Dalit.
The BJP said it does not support such activities and would investigate the incident.
Rahul Gandhi demanded an FIR under the SC/ST Act over a purification ritual at Mallikarjun Kharge’s Haldwani rally venue.
The ritual was reportedly conducted by Shri Ram Sena members at Ramlila Ground on 10 August 2026, two days after Kharge’s address.
Gandhi called the ceremony a crime and an act of untouchability against Kharge, who is Dalit.
He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central and Uttarakhand governments to ensure Kharge receives justice.
The BJP said it does not support such activities and would investigate, while Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt defended the ritual’s stated rationale.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress, Shri Ram Sena, the BJP, and Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt are central to the dispute.
- What
- Rahul Gandhi demanded an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act over a purification ritual held at Kharge’s rally venue.
- When
- The ritual was reportedly held on 10 August 2026, and Gandhi made his demand on Saturday, 29 August 2026; Kharge raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on 13 August.
- Where
- The ritual reportedly took place at Ramlila Ground in Haldwani, Uttarakhand; Gandhi spoke at a press conference in New Delhi.
- Why
- Gandhi and the Congress alleged that the ritual was an act of untouchability targeting Kharge because of his Dalit identity, while BJP representatives said the venue was purified because rally slogans offended some believers in Sanatana Dharma.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
BJP and Uttarakhand BJP Response
Meaning of the ritual
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi and the Congress described the purification ceremony as an act of untouchability against Kharge and said it treated Dalits as impure.
BJP and Uttarakhand BJP Response
Mahendra Bhatt said the purification was not directed at a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste and claimed that slogans at the rally had offended people who believe in Sanatana Dharma.
Legal action
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi demanded an immediate FIR and arrests under the SC/ST Act, saying about 20 days had passed without action.
BJP and Uttarakhand BJP Response
J. P. Nadda said the BJP did not support such activities and that the incident would be investigated; the supplied reports do not state that an FIR had been filed.
Political responsibility
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi said the incident reflected what he called the BJP-RSS mindset toward Dalit progress, dignity, and success, and urged the central and state governments to provide justice.
BJP and Uttarakhand BJP Response
The Congress’s Uttarakhand unit alleged that Shri Ram Sena was associated with the BJP, while the BJP denied links to the group.
- Main demand
- Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order immediate registration of an FIR.
- Requested law
- The Congress sought action under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- Person at center
- Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the All India Congress Committee.
- Reported ritual date
- 10 August 2026, two days after Kharge’s Haldwani address.
- Ritual location
- Ramlila Ground, Haldwani, Uttarakhand.
- Reported participants
- A group identified as Shri Ram Sena.
- BJP response
- Union minister J. P. Nadda said the BJP does not subscribe to such activities and would investigate the incident.
Sources
Order FIR on Kharge 'purification' row: Rahul to PM
PM Modi Must Order Filing of FIR: Rahul on Kharge Purification Row
‘PM Modi must order FIR’: Rahul Gandhi demands SC/ST Act case over Haldwani purification row
Rahul Gandhi demands FIR under SC/ST Act over ‘purification’ after Mallikarjun Kharge rally
