Rahul Gandhi demands that authorities register an FIR over allegations that a rally venue in Haldwani was “purified” after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public event. Rahul says the claim points to “untouchability” practices and accuses the BJP and RSS of attempting to target a caste-based community.
The BJP rejects any caste angle. It says organizers provide evidence, including videos, and that the purification claim is being raised with delay. Organizers counter that the steps taken involved a hawan followed by cleaning for a Ramlila programme, and they deny any connection to the BJP. Across reporting, both sides trade accusations about caste divisions and cite or refer to earlier incidents, while disagreeing over whether the post-event rituals were routine or discriminatory.
The dispute centers on what happened after Kharge’s address—whether the venue treatment amounted to “purification” with a discriminatory purpose, or whether it was part of normal religious preparations for the next event.
