# BJP workers purified stage after Kharge rally, Congress cries caste insult 2026-08-14T02:14:31+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told Rajya Sabha on Thursday that some BJP workers 'purified' the stage at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after he addressed a public gathering on August 8. Kharge demanded an FIR under the Untouchability Act and arrest of those involved, saying the act made him feel the pain of untouchability. Leader of the House J P Nadda condemned the incident and assured an investigation, stressing the BJP does not support such activities. Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan ordered a government inquiry and said those behind the act must be caught and punished. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi called it an insult to the Constitution and the Dalit community, accusing the BJP-RSS of a 'Manuvadi' mindset that determines a person's status by birth. The Congress has announced countrywide protests on Friday. ## Coverage - rediff.com - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - hindustantimes.com Tags: Congress vs BJP, Haldwani stage purification, JP Nadda, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Untouchability Act Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kharge-stage-purified-in-haldwani-bjp-promises-probe/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kharge-stage-purified-in-haldwani-bjp-promises-probe/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.