The New Indian Express ·
Politics
Congress turns Haldwani purification row into Dalit dignity, social justice issue
DEHRADUN: The political controversy over an alleged “purification” ritual following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s public meeting in Haldwani has moved beyond Uttarakhand, with the party seeking to frame it as a national debate on Dalit dignity, social equality and constitutional values.
Kharge has written to senior BJP leader J P Nadda demanding the registration of an FIR over the alleged incident and questioning why no action was taken even 24 days later. He had earlier raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took it up at a press conference in New Delhi.
The Congress’s sustained campaign suggests that it does not intend to treat the episode merely as a local political dispute. Instead, the party appears keen to link it with the larger issues of caste discrimination and social justice ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
The strategy could carry particular significance in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, where Dalit voters constitute a decisive electoral bloc and can influence the outcome in several constituencies.
In his letter to Nadda, Kharge sought to underline that the controversy was not just about a personal affront to him or an insult to the Congress president.
He said the episode concerned the sentiments of millions of people who continue to face social discrimination.
Kharge also invoked B R Ambedkar’s historic Maha Satyagraha, arguing that acts and symbols perceived to reinforce caste discrimination could not be dismissed as isolated local events.
The BJP and those associated with the Haldwani programme have repeatedly rejected the Congress’s allegations. They have maintained that the cleaning of the stage and the subsequent 'havan' had nothing to do with Kharge’s caste and were carried out because the venue had become dirty.
The factual claims remain contested amid an escalating political war of words.
However, by placing the episode within the broader social justice narrative, the Congress is seeking to turn Haldwani into a rallying point for its campaign in other states.
Rahul Gandhi’s intervention gave the controversy a national dimension. He demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensure the registration of an FIR over the alleged purification ritual. Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against Gandhi in Uttarakhand in connection with his remarks, prompting the Congress to accuse the state government of political vendetta.
The party is now asking why Gandhi was booked for questioning the incident while no case was registered over the alleged act itself. The Congress believes the issue could help it challenge both the Uttarakhand government and the BJP while sending a wider message to Dalit voters.
The party has announced a major protest in Dehradun on September 7.
“This is much more than a political issue for the Congress; it is about dignity and equal rights for Dalits,” state Congress chief spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni said. “The Haldwani incident is not merely an insult to our national president but to the entire Dalit community. We will not tolerate it.”
