The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge over allegations of a “shuddhikaran” (purification) ritual at an event addressed by Kharge in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani. He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the filing of an FIR against those allegedly involved.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, earlier accused BJP-RSS workers of carrying out the alleged ritual and called it a form of untouchability.
The word ‘Shuddhikaran (purification)’ is just another word for untouchability,” Gandhi said. “People of Haldwani’s Valmiki community are themselves admitting that Rahul Gandhi is lying and attempting to spread a political hoax in order to gain the votes of a particular community,” he said. “This is done by BJP-RSS members, and it is a crime under the Indian Constitution.
We have provided them their rightful reservation, according to the Constitution. Dalits are also making significant progress in the startup sector, while Kharge is spreading lies,” Prasad said. “Today people of all caste have equal rights in availing the benefits of government schemes… so such statements (by Rahul Gandhi) are an effort to regain the lost political ground and attempts to create divisions on the basis of caste,” he said. Uttarakhand Minister Khajan Das also rejected the allegation, calling the claim that the BJP conducted a purification ceremony at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani “irrational”. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the BJP had already made its position clear when Kharge raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha.
“They (Congress leaders) are experts at lying. Whether it is Narendra Modi’s government or Yogi Adityanath’s government, we have shown the greatest respect for Dalits. Uttarakhand Minister Subodh Uniyal accused the Congress of trying to create caste tensions for political gain.
Today, there are new schemes for the development of the Dalit community.
