Congress slams ‘havan’ after Kharge’s Uttarakhand rally, BJP denies link

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a rally in Haldwani on August 8. (File Photo) 4 min readLucknowAug 14, 2026 03:04 AM IST First published on: Aug 13, 2026 at 01:51 PM IST A ‘purification’ ritual organised in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani after a visit by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge last week has sparked a political row ahead of the Assembly polls. While the Congress has alleged that those who organised the ‘shuddhikaran havan’ were linked to the BJP and said it reflected a casteist mindset, the ruling party has distanced itself from the event. Kharge, too, has spoken up. Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, he said he had never asked anyone to protect him because he is a Dalit, but the ‘purification’ event made him feel humiliated. Kharge addressed a public meeting at Ram Lila ground in Nainital district on August 8. Two days later, an organisation, Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, performed a “shuddhikaran havan” at the ground.