Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday defended the ‘shuddhikaran’ or purification ritual held after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public meeting in Haldwani. Dhami maintained that the people who participated in the ritual were neither office-bearers nor workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also rejected allegations of caste discrimination in Uttarakhand and accused the Congress of attempting to turn the controversy into a political issue.

Dhami maintained that the purification programme had been organised by religious organisations in protest against what he described as religiously provocative slogans and an alleged act of desecration at the Ramlila venue. He argued that the site was a religious place where Ramlila and other major religious events are held. The Chief Minister linked the ritual to the objections raised by these organisations and maintained that it was not a BJP programme.

The Chief Minister also accused the Congress of having become “issueless” and questioned its focus on the controversy. Dhami argued that people in Uttarakhand do not accept the suggestion that caste discrimination is prevalent in the state. He also highlighted the BJP-led government's stated approach of equal development and inclusion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas” principle.

Also Read: Nepal Flash Floods: Congress Expresses Solidarity, Reaffirms India’s Support

Dhami further attacked the Congress over its treatment of prominent Dalit leaders, referring to former Congress president Sitaram Kesri, former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram and Dr BR Ambedkar. He alleged that the Congress had historically followed appeasement politics and was now attempting to create a narrative around the Haldwani controversy for electoral gains. He also maintained that Uttarakhand had historically welcomed people from different parts of the country and rejected the suggestion that its people would deliberately insult anyone on the basis of caste or identity.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi direct the filing of an FIR against those allegedly involved in the purification of the Ramlila ground following Kharge’s public meeting. Gandhi described the controversy as part of a broader ideological contest involving the Constitution and the RSS-BJP, and urged action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The dispute has consequently developed into a political confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with both sides presenting sharply different accounts of the incident. While Dhami has denied BJP involvement and defended the actions of the religious organisations, Congress has sought government action over the alleged purification ritual. The controversy is expected to remain a point of political debate as both parties continue to put forward their respective positions.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor’s ‘Resilient Democracy’ Remark Triggers Political Exchange Between Congress And BJP