A First Information Report has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani over his alleged remarks concerning a purification ritual carried out at a public venue following a Congress event.

The case relates to a controversy surrounding a religious ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan, where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally. The incident has triggered a political dispute between the Congress and the BJP over allegations of caste discrimination.

What is the case against Rahul Gandhi?

According to the complaint, Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about the incident allegedly hurt the sentiments of members of the Valmiki community.

The complainant has alleged that Gandhi described the cleaning and havan ceremony as an act of untouchability and an atrocity against the Scheduled Caste community without verifying the circumstances surrounding the ritual.

The FIR invokes provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, along with Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Congress-BJP clash over purification ritual

The controversy began after a “shuddhikaran” or purification havan was conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan after Kharge addressed a Congress rally there.

Congress leaders have alleged that the ritual reflected caste-based discrimination because Kharge is a Dalit leader. Rahul Gandhi had demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensure an FIR against those responsible under the SC/ST Act.

The BJP has rejected the allegations and said the ritual was not linked to Kharge’s caste. Organisers have also said the havan was conducted to cleanse the venue of general filth rather than because of the identity of the Congress leader who had addressed the rally.

The FIR against Gandhi has now added another dimension to the ongoing political dispute.

Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi have clashed over the demand for a separate sub-category within the Scheduled Caste quota, with the disagreement escalating into calls for each other’s resignation.

The dispute began after Manjhi and his son, Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman, backed the idea of a sub-quota aimed at the most deprived sections among Dalits. Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), opposed the proposal, arguing that it could create divisions within the community.

Chirag Paswan opposes sub-quota

Responding to questions about Manjhi and Suman’s position, Paswan said a separate sub-category would create a division within the Dalit community.

He also linked the issue to the debate over the creamy layer and said those supporting the concept should give up their respective posts.

Paswan’s position is also consistent with the stand taken by his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan, who had opposed the creation of a separate “Mahadalit” category in Bihar during Nitish Kumar’s tenure as chief minister.

Jitan Manjhi demands Paswan’s resignation

Manjhi rejected Paswan’s criticism and said it was Chirag Paswan who should resign.

The former Bihar chief minister argued that some Dalit communities are more vulnerable than others and therefore require targeted welfare measures through a separate sub-category.

Manjhi also questioned the relevance of the creamy-layer issue to the demand for a sub-quota.

Santosh Suman backs father

Santosh Kumar Suman also entered the dispute through posts on X. Without naming Paswan directly, he referred to him as his “younger brother” and said he would resign alongside Paswan if the latter took the lead.

Suman maintained that his position was neither against reservations nor in favour of introducing a creamy layer. He argued that a quota within the existing quota system was different from the creamy-layer concept.

He also cited communities including Musahar, Bhuia, Nat and Dom, saying they continue to face discrimination even within the Scheduled Castes.

JD(U) seeks to end quota controversy

The Janata Dal (United), the second-largest NDA constituent in Bihar after the BJP, sought to defuse the dispute.

JD(U) legislature party leader and state minister Shrawon Kumar said reservations were introduced through the Constitution and that there should be no dispute over quotas.

The disagreement between the two Union ministers comes amid a wider political debate over the distribution of reservation benefits among different Dalit communities.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi direct the registration of an FIR over the alleged ‘shuddhikaran’ or purification ritual conducted at a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand.

The venue at Ramlila Maidan was used by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for a party rally on August 8. Two days later, on August 10, an organisation called Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas conducted a ‘shuddhikaran havan’ at the ground.

Gandhi described the incident as a form of untouchability and alleged that it reflected the mindset of the BJP and RSS. He also sought action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Rahul Gandhi calls incident ‘untouchability’

Addressing a press conference, Gandhi said the incident should not be viewed only in the context of Kharge but as an issue concerning Dalits more broadly.

He said there were “two ideologies” fighting in the country — the ideology of the Constitution and that of the BJP-RSS. Gandhi alleged that Dalits continue to face discrimination in different parts of the country despite constitutional safeguards.

Referring to the Haldwani incident, he alleged that the purification of the venue after Kharge’s rally amounted to untouchability.

Gandhi also claimed that similar incidents involving Dalit leaders had occurred elsewhere and said the Congress would seek action against those responsible for the Haldwani ritual.

Rahul Gandhi seeks FIR under SC/ST Act

Gandhi said the Congress wanted an FIR against those who conducted the purification ceremony.

He alleged that the Prime Minister’s government claims to represent all castes, while BJP leaders had defended the Haldwani ceremony. Gandhi therefore urged PM Modi to direct registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act.

He further said the incident went beyond Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and concerned Dalits across the country.

BJP denies involvement in Haldwani ritual

Uttarakhand BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta rejected Gandhi’s allegations that the BJP or government was behind the incident.

Tamta said the Ramlila ground did not belong to the BJP and that religious programmes were regularly held there. He said the ground had been cleaned after litter was left following the political rally.

According to Tamta, the cleaning was not ordered by the government and was carried out by a religious organisation. He also denied that the incident reflected the kind of discrimination alleged by Gandhi.

Organisation denies BJP-RSS connection

The organisation that conducted the ‘shuddhikaran havan’, Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, also denied any association with the BJP or RSS.

Its president Girish Chandra Pandey said the ritual was conducted because the Hindu community’s sentiments had allegedly been hurt. He cited Kharge’s earlier remarks about Hindu organisations and the use of the Ramlila ground for a political programme.

Pandey also claimed that four Dalits were among those who participated in the havan.

The Haldwani incident has since turned into a political controversy, with the Congress demanding action and BJP leaders denying any connection with the purification ceremony.