Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt on Wednesday defended a ritual to “purify” the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally earlier this month, saying the ceremony was carried out because the venue had been “polluted” by slogans, The Hindu reported.
What Bhatt said
Addressing reporters after an event in Mussoorie, Bhatt asserted the purification was not directed against any person belonging to a Scheduled Caste and criticised those who, he said, were raising the matter without a real issue. He did not specify which slogans he was referring to.
"Those who have no real issues are the ones who raise matters that only damage and divide the society,"
The ceremony at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani was performed by a group identified as Shri Ram Sena, according to earlier reporting. The episode drew condemnation from Congress leaders, who described the purification as humiliating and amounting to untouchability.
Responses from national leaders
Congress MP Pawan Khera reacted strongly to Bhatt’s defence, alleging that discrimination "flows through the veins" of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP. He said it was "a tragedy" that Dalits were being subjected to such demeaning practices in the 21st century and questioned whether the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi would take action against Bhatt.
"But if this can happen to the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and one of the tallest Dalit leaders in the country elucidates how far worse the everyday reality must be for ordinary Dalits,"
Union minister J.P. Nadda had earlier said the BJP "does not subscribe to such activities" and indicated the party would investigate the matter. Congress has demanded action against Bhatt and sought his removal as the state party chief.
Parliamentary mention and legal demand
Mr Kharge raised the incident in the Rajya Sabha on 13 August, demanding that those who performed the ritual be arrested and describing the purification as degrading and an expression of untouchability. Congress leaders have called for legal proceedings under the Untouchability (Offences) Act.
| Event | Date | Action/Response |
|---|---|---|
| Kharge raises issue in Rajya Sabha | 13 August | Demanded arrest of those who performed purification |
| Purification ceremony at Ramlila Ground | Earlier this month | Performed by group identified as Shri Ram Sena |
| Bhatt defends purification | 27 August | Called it response to slogans; denied caste intent |
| National BJP reaction | Following controversy | J.P. Nadda said BJP does not subscribe to such activities; to probe |
Political fallout in Uttarakhand
The controversy has added pressure on the state BJP unit, with the Congress demanding Bhatt's removal. The state chapter of the Congress has also alleged links between Shri Ram Sena and the BJP, a charge the party has denied.
- Congress position: Describes the purification as casteist and humiliating; demands legal action and Bhatt's ouster.
- BJP position: Central leadership says party opposes such acts and will investigate; state chief frames the ritual as a response to offensive slogans.
- Public angle: Raises questions about caste practices at public political events and the political responsibility of party leaders for statements they make.
The episode comes amid heightened sensitivity over caste and dignity in public life. Congress leaders have used the incident to press the BJP on alleged systemic discrimination, while the BJP has sought to distance itself at the national level from the act even as its state chief defended it.
Questions remain about who exactly carried out the purification, the nature of the slogans that prompted the ceremony and what disciplinary steps, if any, the BJP will take following the national party's indicated probe. At the same time, the Congress has signalled it will continue to press for both criminal accountability and political consequences for those it sees as endorsing untouchability.
Reporting for this story drew on accounts in The Hindu and statements by the principal figures involved.
