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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded strict action against those who allegedly performed 'purification' ritual at the venue of party president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. Addressing a press conference at Indira Bhawan in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi clearly said that this is a serious crime under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He raised the question that despite such a big incident, why the police has not registered an FIR till now.

What was the whole controversy that happened in Ramlila Maidan?

Actually, this entire matter is to the Congress rally held on August 8 at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani. This rally was addressed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge as the keynote speaker. It is alleged that two days after Kharge's meeting ended, some members of Shri Ram Sena went to the same place and performed 'purification havan'. Congress's direct allegation is that Mallikarjun Kharge comes from Dalit community, hence this ritual was performed with the aim of humiliating him and his society.

Rahul Gandhi's direct question – Why was FIR not filed?

Talking to journalists in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi expressed deep anger over this entire incident. He said that the Constitution of India does not allow discrimination against any citizen on the basis of caste. According to Rahul Gandhi, promoting or carrying out rituals like 'shuddhikarana' is a legal offense and is a direct violation of the SC/ST Act. He said that even after days of the incident, no concrete action has been taken. Therefore, Congress demands that the Uttarakhand government and the local police administration immediately register an FIR against those involved in this act. During this, he also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked why the BJP leadership remains silent on such sensitive issues.

'There is a fight between two ideologies going on in the country'

During his address, Rahul Gandhi said that at present there is a direct war going on in the country between two different ideologies. On one hand, there is the Constitution of India made by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which gives equal rights to everyone. On the other hand, there is the ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Rahul Gandhi said that Dalits have been facing atrocities and violence in Indian society for thousands of years. Although our Constitution has completely declared all these things illegal, but practically even today the ground reality is very bitter.

Mentioned the bitter truth of society

Giving examples of the inequality prevalent in the society, Rahul Gandhi said that even today in many parts of the country, Dalit children are made to clean toilets and sweep the floors inside schools. He asked to think what effect this would have on the innocent minds of the coming generation. When children see their own peers cleaning, the seeds of inferiority complex and division are sown within them.

He further said that this is the ground reality of India. In many villages of the country, Dalits are not allowed to drink water from public wells, due to which they have to dig their own wells. Not only this, even today two types of cups are used in tea shops in cities and villages. One is a glass cup which is washed and then given to others, and the other is a paper or plastic cup which is thrown away after use—and this second cup is kept for the Dalits. This truth of North India and Uttar Pradesh can be seen everywhere. Congress says that they will fight this battle at every level and will take legal and political steps to protect the honor of Mallikarjun Kharge.