Congress workers rally in Srikakulam against FIR on Rahul Gandhi over 'purification' remark

Congress workers in Srikakulam took to the streets on Friday to protest the registration of a police case against Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand. The demonstration was led by Srikakulam District Congress Committee president Sanapala Annaji Rao.

The protest followed an FIR filed by Uttarakhand police against Mr. Gandhi over his comments on a 'purification' ritual conducted at the Ramlila ground in Haldwani. The case was registered after a Scheduled Caste complainant alleged that the remarks hurt his sentiments.

Addressing the rally, Mr. Rao accused the NDA government of encouraging "false complaints" against Mr. Gandhi, claiming the cases were a response to the Congress leader's opposition to "anti-people" policies.

Mr. Rao said the purification of the ground after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, had used the venue amounted to untouchability. He asserted that Mr. Gandhi had only demanded an FIR against those responsible for the ritual.

"Strangely, the Uttarakhand police filed a case against him after taking a complaint from local leader Amit Kumar at the behest of BJP leaders," Mr. Rao said. He added that Mr. Gandhi has always worked for unity and never encouraged social tensions as alleged in the FIR.

The party workers raised slogans against the NDA government during the rally, which was organised following a call from the AICC high command.