Congress files complaint against Uttarakhand BJP chief over purification row

Haridwar District Congress workers, led by Metropolitan President Aman Garg, staged a demonstration at the local Kotwali police station, submitting a formal complaint against Bhatt and 15 others. The controversy erupted after members of the Shri Ram Sena performed a havan and sprinkled gangajal at the Ramlila Ground stage on August 10, two days after Kharge’s address. Congress leaders argue the act specifically targeted the Dalit identity of the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Congress officials maintain that justifying this ritual violates the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. While Rahul Gandhi and Asaduddin Owaisi have condemned the incident as a manifestation of a discriminatory mindset, the BJP has sought to distance itself from the event. Union Minister JP Nadda stated in Parliament that the party had no association with the organizers. Conversely, the Shri Ram Sena claims the ritual was intended to restore religious decorum rather than target any individual, further deepening the political divide over the incident.