Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has demanded the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act over a reported “purification ritual” conducted at a rally venue after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a gathering there. Gandhi described the ritual as an act of untouchability and said such conduct was contrary to the principles of equality and dignity guaranteed under the Constitution. His demand has brought the incident into a wider political debate over caste discrimination and the treatment of Dalits in public life.

Gandhi raised the issue while addressing a press conference at Indira Bhawan, where he criticised those responsible for conducting what has been described as a shuddhikaran havan. He alleged that the incident reflected what he called a “BJP-RSS mindset” that was opposed to the dignity and progress of Dalits. Gandhi questioned the government's commitment to combating caste-based discrimination and called for legal action against those who participated in the ritual. He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the matter was investigated and that those responsible were dealt with under the applicable law.

The controversy centres on an event held at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, where Kharge addressed a Congress rally on August 8. According to the Congress, members of the Shri Ram Sena conducted a purification ritual at the same venue two days later. The party has alleged that the act was connected to Kharge's Dalit identity and therefore amounted to caste-based discrimination. The reported ritual has since become a major point of contention between the Congress and the BJP, with both sides offering sharply different interpretations of why the ceremony was conducted.

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Kharge had earlier raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, saying the incident had caused him to feel the “sting of untouchability.” The Congress president's remarks brought renewed attention to the issue of caste discrimination and the constitutional prohibition of untouchability. Gandhi, while referring to the episode, argued that such incidents should not be treated merely as political disagreements but should be examined from the perspective of the legal protections available to members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. His demand for an FIR under the SC/ST Act is therefore focused on establishing whether the reported conduct constitutes an offence under the legislation.

The BJP has sought to distance itself from the incident and has rejected any suggestion that the ritual was organised by the party. BJP president and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda condemned the reported incident as “painful and unacceptable” and said there was no party connection with the organisers. Nadda's comments came amid criticism from the Congress, which has sought to link the incident to broader allegations of caste discrimination and the political ideology associated with the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt, however, gave a different explanation for the ceremony. He said the ritual was related to the political atmosphere at the venue and slogans that had allegedly been raised there, rather than Kharge's caste. Bhatt accused the Congress of using the controversy for political gain and said the party was exaggerating the matter. With Gandhi now demanding an FIR under the SC/ST Act, the dispute has moved beyond political accusations to a call for formal legal action. The matter is likely to remain a point of political confrontation as allegations of caste discrimination, constitutional rights and responsibility for the reported ritual continue to be debated.

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