New Delhi: An FIR has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the controversy surrounding an alleged purification ritual conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground following a public rally addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on August 8.
The case was registered at Haldwani Kotwali police station on the complaint of Amit Kumar, a resident of Ward No. 15 in Haldwani, who said he had participated in the purification programme. According to the complaint, remarks made by Gandhi regarding the incident were allegedly insulting to the Dalit community and people who took part in the programme.
The FIR, numbered 297/26, has invoked Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 3(1)(q) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Controversy After Kharge’s Haldwani Rally
The dispute began after Kharge addressed a public meeting at Ramlila Ground on August 8. Following the Congress rally, BJP leaders and workers reportedly conducted a purification havan at the venue and sprinkled Gangajal across the premises.
Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and other party leaders defended the programme. The Congress, however, objected to the move and alleged that conducting a purification ritual after Kharge’s rally was an insult to his identity as a Dalit. Congress leaders demanded action against those involved.
The issue subsequently became a subject of political debate, with Rahul Gandhi also raising questions over the purification programme and linking the controversy to Dalit dignity.
FIR Brings Political Dispute Into Legal Domain
Amit Kumar and Vinod Kumar Arya had earlier submitted a complaint at Haldwani Kotwali concerning Gandhi’s remarks. The complainants alleged that his comments about the purification programme hurt the sentiments of members of the Dalit community.
The FIR has now brought the political dispute into the legal domain. While the Congress has described the alleged purification ritual as an issue concerning Dalit dignity and discrimination, the complainant has alleged that Gandhi’s response to the incident was objectionable and insulting.
Section 196 of the BNS concerns acts promoting enmity or ill-will between different groups and those prejudicial to communal harmony. Section 299 deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of a class.
The FIR also invokes Section 3(1)(q) of the SC/ST Act, concerning the provision of false or fabricated information to a public servant with the intention of causing injury or annoyance to an SC/ST member.
The police investigation will now examine the allegations, the circumstances surrounding the purification programme and the context of Gandhi’s remarks.
