The Congress on Thursday stepped up its criticism of the BJP over a reported ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ritual at a venue in Haldwani after a rally addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, accusing Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt of defending the practice. The opposition party questioned whether the BJP would initiate action against its state president for remarks it said amounted to a justification of untouchability and caste-based discrimination. The controversy centres on an alleged purification ceremony conducted at the rally venue following Kharge’s address. Kharge had earlier criticised the BJP over the incident, describing the ruling party as “anti-religion” and questioning what he called its selective interpretation of religious values.

The Congress Working Committee subsequently condemned the reported ritual and alleged that it reflected discriminatory attitudes towards Dalits. According to the Congress, Bhatt has now sought to justify the purification ceremony. Bhatt reportedly said the venue had been polluted by slogans that were not suitable for a religious place, while rejecting criticism of the ritual from opposition leaders. His remarks have provided fresh ammunition to the Congress, which has sought to make the episode a wider political issue centred on caste discrimination and the treatment of Dalits. Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera shared a video of Bhatt’s remarks on social media and criticised the BJP leadership over the issue. Khera said it was immaterial that BJP leader JP Nadda had earlier described the Haldwani purification ceremony as “unfortunate”.

He alleged that the incident and the subsequent defence of it demonstrated that discrimination remained deeply rooted in the RSS-BJP ideological framework. Khera further argued that the reported incident was particularly serious because the person whose rally had preceded the ceremony was Kharge, a senior Dalit leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He said the alleged treatment highlighted the difficulties faced by Dalits more broadly and questioned whether similar practices could affect ordinary members of the community. “In the 21st century, Dalits are still subjected to such dehumanising practices,” Khera said, describing the development as a tragedy. The Congress leader also directly challenged the BJP leadership to respond to Bhatt’s remarks.

Also Read: Kharge Attacks Centre As Sugar Prices Surge, Questions Ethanol Policy And Self-Reliance

He asked whether the party would take disciplinary action against its Uttarakhand president and whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would remove him if the comments were found to defend untouchability. Khera argued that the BJP’s response would be significant in determining the seriousness of its repeated public appeals for social unity and respect for Dalits. Congress spokesperson and social media department head Supriya Shrinate also shared the video clip of Bhatt’s remarks. She accused the Uttarakhand BJP chief of openly defending the purification ritual and said the episode exposed what she described as the BJP’s attitude towards Dalits. Shrinate alleged that statements supporting the ritual represented the party’s “real” position, while its public messages on equality and social harmony amounted to political posturing. The BJP has previously faced criticism over the reported purification ceremony, with party president JP Nadda describing it as “unfortunate”, according to the Congress.

The latest exchange has nevertheless reopened the political dispute in Uttarakhand, with the Congress seeking clarification from the BJP leadership over Bhatt’s reported comments. The issue has also brought renewed focus on caste discrimination and the political debate over religious practices at public venues. The Congress has continued to frame the Haldwani episode as an issue of dignity and equality, while demanding accountability from the BJP’s state leadership. With both sides trading allegations over the incident and its meaning, the controversy is likely to remain a point of political confrontation in Uttarakhand. The Congress has maintained that any defence of a purification ritual linked to Kharge’s rally should be addressed by the BJP leadership, particularly in light of the party’s stated position against discrimination.

Also Read: Kharge Raises Concerns Over Party's Silence On Haldwani Purification Row