Purification row: Police complaint against Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani
A member of the Valmiki community has lodged a police complaint against Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging he gave a casteist spin to a religious ritual held at the venue of the Congress chief’s programme in Haldwani, police said on Sunday.
Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar, claimed in the complaint filed at the Haldwani Police Station that he was present during the “ritual and cleanliness drive” and that Gandhi’s remarks made in Delhi at a press conference on August 29 hurt the sentiments of the community.
Vijay Mehta, the local station house officer, said no FIR has been filed yet.
The Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas member said people from various sections of society, including Scheduled Castes, participated in the event, and it was not linked to any specific caste.
Kumar requested the police to take cognisance of the video of the press conference, social media posts, and photos and videos of the events held on August 8 and 11, as he sought a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the matter.
The police said copies of the complaint have been sent to the Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
A political row erupted after some individuals allegedly performed a ‘purification yajna’ at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani on August 11, following a public meeting held there by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on August 8.
While the Congress has termed the incident a reflection of the BJP’s anti-Dalit mindset, the BJP defended the action, claiming that the venue was left littered after Kharge’s rally and that slogans were raised which were inappropriate for a religious site.
