New Delhi: An FIR has been registered against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at a police station in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, over remarks he allegedly made about a “purification” exercise carried out at a venue associated with a Congress event.
The case was registered under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following a complaint by Amit Kumar, who alleged that Gandhi’s remarks had hurt the sentiments of members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Gandhi had criticised an incident in which BJP members reportedly carried out a cleaning and purification exercise at a venue where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had delivered a speech. His comments have now led to the police action, according to the complaint.
Complaint alleges remarks linked purification to untouchability
According to the complainant, the Congress had organised its ‘Vijay Shankhanad’ rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on August 8. After the rally, garbage and other material were reportedly found at the venue.
On August 11, some members of the Scheduled Caste community allegedly cleaned the ground and performed a havan. The stated purpose was to clean the venue and carry out a religious purification ritual, the complaint said.
However, Kumar alleged that during a press conference in Delhi on August 29, Gandhi portrayed the purification exercise as being linked to untouchability.
The complainant claimed that Gandhi’s remarks portrayed those who participated in the exercise as being opposed to Dalits and as practising untouchability.
A member of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, Vinod Arya, was also present when the FIR was registered.
Haldwani police have begun an investigation into the allegations.
