Tharoor labels Haldwani ritual a constitutional assault on Dalit dignity

The controversy erupted after right-wing activists conducted a 'shuddhikaran' ceremony at Ramlila Ground, where Kharge had addressed a gathering on August 8. Tharoor dismissed semantic defenses of the act, asserting that terminology cannot mask the discriminatory mindset embedded in the BJP’s ideology. He maintained that such rituals constitute a punishable offense under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, demanding concrete legal accountability rather than internal inquiries.

Rahul Gandhi echoed these sentiments, framing the ritual as a blatant violation of law. He argued that the act implies Dalits are unclean, effectively reintroducing the practice of untouchability that the Constitution explicitly outlawed. For the Congress leadership, the incident signifies a broader struggle to protect equality against those who seek to undermine it. Kharge has already raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, calling for the registration of a formal case against those responsible for the ritual.