Haldwani: An FIR has been lodged against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a complaint filed by a member of the Valmiki community, who accused him of giving a caste-based explanation to a religious ritual conducted at the site of an event addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, police said on Sunday.
The case was registered at the Haldwani police station under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those dealing with the promotion of enmity between communities and deliberate actions intended to insult religious beliefs. Sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, have also been invoked, police said.
Complaint Filed By Valmiki Community Member
Amit Kumar, a Jawahar Nagar resident and member of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, lodged the complaint with police. He said he was present at the “ritual and cleanliness drive” at the venue and alleged that remarks made by Gandhi during his August 29 press conference in New Delhi had hurt the sentiments of the Valmiki community.
According to the complaint, Gandhi had referred to those who took part in the ritual as practising “untouchability” and being “anti-Dalit”.
Kumar stated that he himself belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and claimed that the ritual was attended by people from various sections of society, including members of Scheduled Castes. He further asserted that the religious ceremony had “no connection” with the caste identity of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as reported by The Pioneer.
The FIR followed a complaint over the alleged remarks and does not, by itself, establish the allegations made against Gandhi.
Ritual Triggers Political Exchange
The dispute dates back to August 11, when a group of people allegedly conducted a “purification yajna” at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani. The ceremony was held three days after Kharge addressed a Congress public meeting at the same location on August 8.
The Congress condemned the ritual and described it as evidence of what it termed the BJP’s anti-Dalit mindset. The BJP rejected the criticism and defended the ceremony, saying the ground had been left littered following Kharge’s meeting. The party also alleged that slogans regarded as unsuitable for a religious place had been raised at the venue.
At a press conference in New Delhi on August 29, Gandhi criticised the alleged purification ceremony and demanded that an FIR be filed under the SC/ST Act against those responsible.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also sought action against the participants. She called the incident a reflection of a “reprehensible and shameful mindset” and alleged that the conduct amounted to a violation of the SC/ST Act.