Haldwani, Uttarakhand | August 13, 2026
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to Uttarakhand has triggered a political storm after a purification ritual was reportedly conducted at the Haldwani venue where he addressed a Congress rally. Members of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas reportedly performed a ‘shuddhikaran’ yagna at Ramlila Maidan days after Kharge’s programme, turning the incident into a fresh BJP-Congress confrontation.
The organisation claimed that the ritual was conducted because of alleged objectionable slogans raised during the Congress programme and objected to the political use of what it described as a religious and cultural venue. The group also maintained that the ceremony was intended to restore the sanctity of the site.
Congress president Kharge, however, gave the incident a sharp caste angle. Raising the issue in Parliament, Kharge alleged that the purification was linked to his presence at the venue and questioned why he was being treated as an “untouchable”. His remarks triggered a heated political debate over caste discrimination and the treatment of Dalit leaders.
The BJP has pushed back against the allegation that the party or RSS ordered the purification ceremony. Union Minister J.P. Nadda said the matter should be investigated and facts established before drawing conclusions about BJP involvement.
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