BJP accuses Rahul of using Kharge's Dalit identity for political gains

BJP leaders on Sunday, August 30, accused Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of using the issue of untouchability to target the ruling party and invoking the Dalit identity of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for political gains.

The BJP's remarks came a day after Gandhi demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi order an FIR against those who allegedly carried out 'shuddhikaran' (purification) at a venue in Uttarakhand's Haldwani where Kharge had addressed a rally.

Gandhi had said the alleged purification, carried out by BJP and RSS workers on August 10, two days after Kharge's rally, amounted to a crime under the Constitution. He had also said Kharge raised the issue in Parliament on August 13.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh hit back at Gandhi, accusing him of having "developed a sense of untouchability towards India" and being "hell-bent on ruining the country".

"Untouchability is deeply embedded within the Congress," Singh said.

Referring to the alleged purification event in Haldwani, Singh told PTI Videos that a programme was held at the venue by a group of children belonging to the Scheduled Castes community.

Taking a swipe at Gandhi, the Union minister said, "The Congress' problem is that every day it tries to dress up a jackal in a lion's skin. But a jackal ultimately remains a jackal."

BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad also targeted Gandhi, saying he had "run out of issues" and was "invoking the Dalit identity of his party president for political gains".

"He doesn't do his homework and gets beaten in every issue he takes up, be it the Vande Mataram issue, Manusmriti or untouchability," Prasad said.

Meanwhile, RJD MP Manoj Jha described the alleged purification of the venue as a matter of concern.

"I was present in Parliament when Kharge ji raised the issue. J P Nadda also expressed regret. The entire episode was very concerning. While our society has progressed in terms of technology, it has not been able to free itself from the influence of medieval ideas," Jha said.

Jha also urged RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to implement and propagate his recent remarks on Hindu-Muslim coexistence.

"What great thoughts! But Mohan Bhagwat realised this basic thought, which reflects the core of India, only after going to America. He should not leave it there, rather bring it back and whisper the message into the ears of those Union ministers and certain chief ministers whose mornings do not begin without talking about Hindus and Muslims," Jha said.

Bhagwat, in his address at the 'One World: One Humanity' interfaith leadership summit in New York on Saturday, had said that if any Hindu thinks there should be no Muslims in Bharat, he would not remain a Hindu.

Jha said Bhagwat should ensure that the remark was not made merely for "convenience".