‘No space for dalits’: What is 'shuddhikaran' row concerning Kharge rally? What did the BJP say?
The row rocked the Parliament on Thursday when Kharge addressed the Rajya Sabha chair accusing the BJP of being behind the ‘purification' event at Haldwani, about an hour before Monsoon Session of Parliament ended.
A political slugfest has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ceremony held at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani following a rally addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on August 8.
The row rocked the Parliament on Thursday when Kharge addressed the chair accusing the BJP of being behind the ‘purification.’
“In that public meeting, I did not mention the name of any caste or religion, I only spoke about the problems of the people. But with great sorrow, I have to say that after my speech, BJP people performed a havan there and carried out the purification of that stage. Is this the way democracy works? How are you protecting the Constitution?,” Kharge said in Rajya Sabha.
Quick answers to key questions
The 'shuddhikaran' row was triggered by a purification ceremony performed by a right-wing group, 'Shri Ram Sena', at the rally venue after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's speech, which he claimed was an attempt to insult Dalits.
Kharge expressed that Dalits are being divided along religious lines and criticized the BJP for inciting conflict, highlighting a systemic issue of exclusion within Indian society.
BJP leader JP Nadda stated that the party does not endorse such acts and committed to investigating who was behind the purification ceremony criticized by Kharge.
The Ramlila Ground, where Kharge addressed his rally, is a significant venue for public meetings, traditionally used by multiple political parties, which makes the subsequent purification ceremony particularly controversial.
While BJP denied any association with the 'Shri Ram Sena', Congress leaders accused the party of creating societal divisions, raising questions about the accountability of political parties for actions of affiliated groups.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader JP Nadda responded saying that the party doesn't endorse these acts and will investigate who was behind it. “We in BJP do not endorse such acts. We do not know who was behind this. But we will find it out,” Nadda said in Rajya Sabha before the house was adjourned on Thursday.
‘No space for Dalits’
Earlier, Kharge said that there is "no space for Dalits" in the country. Kharge, the Congress president is also a Dalit
"We have been saying all along that there is no space for Dalits in this country. They are dividing everyone in the name of religion. What was the need for a 'havan' there?" Kharge, said before the Parliament session began for the last day proceedings on Thursday.
"Ramlila Maidan is a venue for public meetings used by all parties, but what they did was, firstly, against the Hindu religion itself. Secondly, they are working to divide the country and incite conflict between castes," he added, without naming anyone.
"Vijay Shankhnaad" rally at Haldwani
Kharge addressed the "Vijay Shankhnaad" rally at Haldwani's Ramlila Maidan on Saturday. Two days later, on August 10, a right wing group, 'Shri Ram Sena', performed a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) havan at the rally venue.
Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal alleged that the 'Shri Ram Sena' group that performed the ceremony was associated with the BJP, a charge vehemently denied by the saffron party.
Godiyal claimed that the ritual was performed because Kharge belongs to the Dalit community, and accused the BJP of creating divisions in society in the name of caste.
Describing the ritual as a crime against humanity, the state Congress chief claimed that this highlighted the "fundamental difference in ideology between the Congress and the BJP".
He also questioned the Nainital senior superintendent of police for not taking action against the right-wing group.
BJP denies charges
The BJP, however, denied any ties to the group, and accused the Congress of maligning the saffron party for political gain. BJP state spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Khajan Das claimed that certain slogans were raised during Kharge's rally at the Ramlila Ground which, he said, hurt the sentiments of the Sanatan community.
He added that the Ramlila Ground is a place of religious significance, and people were angered by the chanting of slogans related to another religion there.
The BJP also dismissed the Congress's allegation that the purification incident was related to Kharge's caste, with Das accusing the grand-old party of disrespecting Dalit leaders, such as Sitaram Kesri, Babu Jagjivan Ram, and Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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