Rahul Gandhi Blasts BJP-RSS Over ‘Shuddhikaran’ Ritual, Labels Practice as “Modern Untouchability”

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday, condemning a recent “purification” ritual performed at a venue where Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally in Uttarakhand.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Gandhi characterized the shuddhikaran ceremony as a blatant display of discrimination. He argued that such acts are not merely ideological differences but constitute criminal offenses under the Indian Constitution.

A Challenge to Constitutional Values

The controversy stems from an incident at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, where, following a rally addressed by Kharge on August 8, members of a right-wing group conducted a ritual to “purify” the grounds.

“Our Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge, has dedicated his entire life to the nation and the Constitution. When he speaks at a venue, and these people perform a purification ritual, it sends a clear message,” Gandhi stated. “Who does this? It is the people from the BJP and the RSS. They are effectively declaring that Dalits are ‘unclean’ and should not be touched. Shuddhikaran is actually just another name for untouchability, and practicing it is a crime under our Constitution.”

Gandhi emphasized that the current political climate in India has devolved into a struggle between two diametrically opposed ideologies: one anchored in the inclusive, democratic values of figures like B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru, and the other represented by the exclusionary policies of the BJP and RSS.

Persistent Caste Discrimination

Expanding on his critique, the Rae Bareli MP highlighted that the Haldwani incident is symptomatic of a broader, systemic issue of caste-based prejudice in India. He alleged that despite constitutional safeguards, Dalits continue to face humiliation and segregation in various facets of daily life.

“For thousands of years, Dalits have faced atrocities. Today, even in our schools, Dalit children are often forced to clean toilets and sweep floors, creating a psychological divide in the minds of the next generation,” Gandhi asserted. He further pointed to instances where Dalits are restricted from accessing common village water wells and are forced to use separate, disposable cups at tea stalls, a practice he claimed remains prevalent across Northern India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

Demands for Accountability

Mallikarjun Kharge, who also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, expressed deep dismay over the incident. He clarified that his speech at the Haldwani rally contained no communal or inflammatory rhetoric, making the subsequent ritual an obvious attack on his identity as a Dalit leader.

“Is this how we protect our democracy?” Kharge questioned. He has formally called for strict legal action, demanding that a case be registered against the perpetrators under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

As the political row intensifies, the Congress party has signaled its intent to keep the issue at the forefront of its campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand assembly elections, positioning the incident as a litmus test for the BJP’s commitment to social equality and the rule of law.