Dehradun, Aug 30: The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) announced it will lodge first information reports at multiple locations across all districts on Monday over an alleged “purification” ritual reportedly conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally on August 8. The move follows directions from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the party said.
Statewide legal push and a large protest
Party leaders said the FIR drive is part of efforts to secure legal action against those allegedly involved in the ceremony. The UPCC also announced it will hold a major protest in Dehradun on September 7, which senior Congress functionaries including Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja are expected to attend, according to the party's programme confirmed by Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya.
The controversy erupted after reports and a circulated video suggested a ritual of ‘shuddhikaran’ — termed a purification ceremony by critics — took place at the Ramlila Ground following Kharge’s rally that was organised as part of preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.
Calls for FIRs and invocation of SC/ST law
Congress leaders have demanded immediate registration of FIRs and legal action under relevant statutes. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, urged that the incident be treated as a violation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and that an FIR be registered without delay.
“This act violates the SC/ST Act. Performing a ‘purification’ ritual is a crime. Yet, no action has been taken. Therefore, we demand that an FIR be registered immediately against those who carried out this purification ritual in Uttarakhand,” Rahul Gandhi said.
BJP response
The BJP has rejected the allegation that the episode had a caste dimension. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, speaking at a New Delhi press conference, said there was “no caste angle” in the video linked to the controversy and accused the Congress of repeatedly raising such issues to create divisions within Hindu society, party sources reported.
Political context and implications
The dispute comes at a politically sensitive moment as parties prepare for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. The Congress has framed the matter as a serious affront that requires legal remedy, while the BJP has characterised the issue as politically motivated. The confrontation has the potential to shape campaign narratives in the run-up to the polls, particularly on matters of caste, law and public order.
Leaders from both sides are likely to use the episode to consolidate support among constituencies they view as politically significant. The Congress’s plan to pursue FIRs across all districts indicates a strategy to nationalise the matter and press for judicial or police action at multiple localities.
What the party has announced
- FIRs: To be lodged at multiple locations across all Uttarakhand districts on Monday, as directed by the AICC.
- Protest: Major demonstration in Dehradun on September 7, expected to draw senior leaders including Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja.
- Legal demand: Congress seeks registration of FIRs and action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following comments from national leaders.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 8 | Rally by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground. |
| August 30 | UPCC announces plan to file FIRs across districts and hold Dehradun protest on September 7. |
| September 7 | Scheduled Congress protest in Dehradun. |
Legal and administrative questions
The Congress has demanded that police file FIRs and initiate prosecutions where appropriate; whether law enforcement agencies will register cases or how they will treat the complaint remains to be seen. The BJP’s rebuttal that the video lacks a caste element may influence investigative and administrative responses, and the matter could proceed through police channels or the courts depending on the content of complaints filed and the findings of any probe.
For now, both parties are mobilising political resources: the Congress through legal filings and public demonstrations, and the BJP by contesting the allegations and defending its position.
As the situation develops, the registration of FIRs and the outcome of any subsequent inquiries will determine whether the matter escalates into longer legal battles or is defused politically.
