Now Reading: BJP workers purified stage after Kharge rally, Congress cries caste insult
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BJP workers purified stage after Kharge rally, Congress cries caste insult
BJP workers purified stage after Kharge rally, Congress cries caste insult
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The 'purification' of a stage after a Dalit leader's speech is a raw nerve in Indian politics, and both sides know it. Congress is calling it proof of an RSS-BJP 'anti-Dalit mindset', while the BJP promises action and says it does not subscribe to such acts. The real test is not the outrage, it is whether the Uttarakhand police register an FIR under the Untouchability Act. That single administrative step will settle whether this was a rogue act or the party's own creatures in action.
Sources (3): rediff.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
