Congress Demands Action Against Uttarakhand BJP Chief Over Haldwani 'Purification' Defence
Congress targets Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt for defending the Haldwani purification ritual, calling Nadda's regret an 'eyewash'.
The Congress party has escalated its attack on the BJP over the controversial purification ritual conducted at a rally venue in Haldwani, demanding action against the BJP's Uttarakhand unit president, Mahendra Bhatt. The demand follows Mr. Bhatt's defence of the ritual, which he claimed was necessary because the venue had been 'polluted' by slogans inappropriate for a religious site.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal asserted that Mr. Bhatt's remarks expose Union Minister J.P. Nadda's expression of regret in the Rajya Sabha as a 'mere eyewash'. In a post on X, Mr. Venugopal questioned how the BJP could claim to oppose such practices while its own state chief defends the 'shuddhikaran' carried out by workers after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's event. He called for Mr. Bhatt's dismissal and strict criminal action against those involved.
Congress media head Pawan Khera echoed these sentiments, stating that Mr. Bhatt had 'justified' the ritual. He argued that the incident reveals that 'discrimination flows through the veins of the RSS-BJP like blood', regardless of Mr. Nadda's parliamentary statement. Mr. Khera highlighted the tragedy that Dalits face such 'dehumanising practices' in the 21st century, noting that if it can happen to the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the reality for ordinary Dalits must be far worse. He directly challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act against Mr. Bhatt, suggesting that inaction would render his appeals for Dalit respect a 'political performance'.
The incident occurred at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on August 8, following a rally addressed by Mr. Kharge. The Uttarakhand Congress has alleged that the Shri Ram Sena, which performed the ritual, is linked to the BJP, a charge the party denies. Mr. Kharge had previously raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, demanding action under the Untouchability Act. The Congress Working Committee has also condemned the incident, with leader Jairam Ramesh demanding an apology from the Prime Minister.