Mallikarjun Kharge – Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raised serious concerns in Parliament regarding a “shuddhikaran” (purification) ritual performed at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground following his recent public rally in Uttarakhand. The incident sparked a heated political confrontation, prompting the Rajya Sabha Chair to direct an official probe into the matter.
Mallikarjun Kharge – Kharge Flags Post-Rally Ritual in Parliament as Caste-Based Insult
Addressing the Upper House, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly condemned the purification ritual conducted at the venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where he had addressed a major public rally. Kharge pointed out that performing a “shuddhikaran” ceremony after a public address by a senior Dalit leader represents deep-seated caste bias and an affront to constitutional values. Congress leaders highlighted that such discriminatory practices have no place in a democratic society, calling on parliamentary authorities and law enforcement to take stringent action against those responsible.
Mallikarjun Kharge – Rajya Sabha Chairman Directs Probe Following Opposition Protest
In response to the gravity of the allegations raised on the floor of the House, the Rajya Sabha Chair directed an immediate inquiry to establish the facts surrounding the Haldwani incident. The Chair emphasized that allegations involving caste discrimination against any member of Parliament, particularly the Leader of the Opposition, are unacceptable and warrant careful scrutiny. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Congress State President Ganesh Godiyal urged local police authorities in Nainital to conduct an impartial investigation into the outfit Shri Ram Sena, which performed the ritual, alleging direct ties to ruling party affiliates.
Mallikarjun Kharge – BJP Denies Association and Accuses Congress of Playing Caste Politics
Rejecting the charges, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied any connection with the group that conducted the ritual and accused the Congress of stirring up caste divisions for political gain. BJP spokespersons maintained that local residents were offended by controversial slogans raised during the opposition rally rather than the identity of the speakers. The ruling party asserted that Congress was attempting to deflect attention from substantive issues by weaponizing the controversy, even as opposition MPs continued to demand accountability and legal action against the organizers of the ritual.
