Congress protests in Kalaburagi against ‘purification’ ritual at Kharge’s rally venue in Uttarakhand

The Kalaburagi District Congress Committee staged a protest in the city on Sunday condemning the alleged ‘purification’ ritual performed at a venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit leader, had addressed a public meeting.

The protest came days after Mr. Kharge raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, describing the incident as a reflection of the persistence of untouchability and caste discrimination which was prohibited in the Constitution. The controversy had erupted after a ritual was reportedly conducted at the Ramlila Maidan following his August 8 rally. The matter has since triggered a political row, with the government promising the Rajya Sabha that the allegation would be looked into.

The Congress protest began from the party’s district office off Sedam Road and culminated near Annapurna Cross. Party workers raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and what they described as communal and casteist tendencies. They also burnt tyres as a mark of protest.

The protesters carried placards carrying slogans such as “80 years of Independence, has casteism still not gone?”, “The Constitution is our religion and equality is its goal”, “Purification should be of the mind, not by caste”, “Before cleansing the soil, cleanse your minds” and “Hail unity, condemn hatred”.

District Congress Committee president and MLC Jagdev Guttedar, MLA Allamaprabhu Patil, and another MLC Tippannappa Kamaknoor addressed the protesters.

MLA of Kalaburagi North Kaneez Fatima, Kalaburagi Urban Development Authority chairman Mazhar Alam Khan, former Minister Revu Naik Belamagi, district president of the Five Guarantee Committee Chandrika Parameshwar, District Mahila Congress president Renuka Singe, District Youth Congress president Shakeel Ahmed Saradagi and party leaders Dr Kiran Deshmukh, Rajiv Jane, Subhash Rathod and Bhimrao T.T. were among those who participated in the protest along with hundreds of party workers.