KHARGE RALLY ROW: FIR Registered Over Alleged Purification Ritual After Haldwani Rally

A political controversy has erupted over an alleged “purification” ritual reportedly conducted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on August 8. An FIR has been registered at Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha Police Station, naming Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt as well. The case invokes provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Civil Rights Protection Act, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).= The complaint, filed by Congress leader T.R. Ramappa, states that Kharge’s rally was peaceful and held with administrative permission, with no unlawful incident reported. It alleges that a purification ritual was conducted at the same venue on August 10 and describes the act as insulting, objectionable, and reflective of a casteist mindset. The issue has triggered a political confrontation. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has demanded prompt action, while opposition leaders have accused the government of failing to act. Critics of the alleged ritual have called it unconstitutional and an insult to society, demanding action against those responsible.