NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha chief of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Occasion and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over a latest ‘suddhikaran’ or ‘purification’ ritual held at a venue in Uttarakhand the place Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally.Calling the apply “one other identify for untouchability”, Rahul alleged that such an act was a criminal offense below the Structure.Addressing a presser at Congress headquarters in Delhi, the Rae Bareli MP mentioned the nation was witnessing a political contest between the ideology of the Structure and that of the BJP and RSS.“Our CLP chief in Rajasthan visits a temple, and BJP leaders carry out a ‘purification’ ritual. Congress President Kharge ji, who has devoted his total life to the nation and the Structure, goes to the Ramlila Floor in Haldwani to ship a speech, and a purification ritual is carried out there. Who does this? It’s the individuals from the BJP and RSS,” Rahul mentioned.“Solely BJP and RSS members do that, and it’s a crime. Below India’s Structure, it is a crime, a felony exercise. ‘Purification’ is definitely simply one other identify for untouchability. Untouchability was outlawed, but BJP members apply it brazenly,” he added.Former Congress president mentioned the ritual steered that Dalits had been “unclean” and shouldn’t be touched.“After they carry out this purification, they’re successfully saying that Dalits shouldn’t be touched, that Dalits are unclean, and this constitutes a criminal offense below the Indian Structure,” he mentioned.Rahul additionally mentioned the bigger political contest within the nation was between two opposing ideologies.“A combat is below method within the nation between two ideologies. On one facet is the Structure of India, the Structure of Ambedkar, Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel. On the opposite is the ideology of the BJP and RSS. The politics at the moment enjoying out in India is between these two ideologies,” Rahul mentioned.He additionally spoke about alleged caste-based discrimination and mentioned Dalits proceed to face discrimination regardless of constitutional safeguards.“For 1000’s of years, Dalits on this nation have been subjected to atrocities and violence. Whereas the Structure made this unlawful, even right now, Dalit youngsters in colleges are made to scrub bathrooms and sweep and mop flooring,” he mentioned.“Simply take into consideration the influence this has on the minds of the long run technology: youngsters see a few of their friends sweeping, whereas these doing the sweeping see others who don’t have to take action. That is the fact of India,” he added.Congress chief additional alleged that caste discrimination was additionally seen in entry to widespread assets corresponding to water.“Dalits usually are not allowed to drink water from the village effectively; they’ve needed to dig their very own non-public wells as a result of they had been barred from utilizing the widespread village effectively,” Rahul claimed.He additionally alleged that caste discrimination may very well be seen at tea stalls.“At tea stalls, you see two sorts of cups in use: a reusable glass cup that may be washed, and a paper or plastic cup that’s discarded after use. The plastic or paper cups are for Dalits, whereas the glass ones are for others,” he alleged.“That is the fact of India. That is the fact of Uttar Pradesh, the fact of North India, and you may see this in cities and villages,” Rahul added.The Haldwani controversy pertains to a Congress rally held at Ramlila Maidan on August 8, forward of the 2027 Uttarakhand meeting elections. Members of a right-wing group later carried out a purification ritual on the venue, drawing criticism from Congress leaders.
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Kharge additionally raised the problem within the Rajya Sabha, linking the incident to his id as a Dalit chief and alleging that it was an try to painting him as “untouchable”.Kharge mentioned he didn’t point out any neighborhood or faith throughout his speech on the venue.“However after my speech, individuals related to the BJP carried out a ‘purification’ ritual of that stage. You’ll have examine this within the newspapers. Is that this the way in which issues ought to occur in a democracy? How are you defending the Structure?” Kharge had mentioned.He later took to X and mentioned he didn’t need the incident to be politicised, whereas calling for strict authorized motion and demanding {that a} case be filed below the Untouchability Act in opposition to those that carried out the ritual.
