Kharge Feels Cong Not Fighting His Dignity Battle, Haldwani Caste Row

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is anguished over the way his own party members have reacted to a casteist incident concerning him that happened earlier this month. Kharge spoke about what he felt during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on August 19. Kharge referred to the “purification” ritual organised in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani after his visit and expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s response. The incident happened on August 10 at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan, two days after Kharge had addressed a rally at the venue. A group called ‘Shri Ram Sena ’ performed a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ritual at the rally venue, with many pointing out that it was a casteist gesture aimed at the Congress leader. Insiders said Kharge declared he was “hurt” that CWC members did not openly condemn the incident. Though he did not name anyone, he reportedly expressed pain that the “good-looking people” who get space in the media did not speak about the incident. Who was he referring to? Jairam Ramesh or Shashi Tharoor. However, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, briefing the media, touched on the “purification” issue and stressed that the party had raised it and condemned it. Kharge who is also LoP in Rajya Sabha had raised the issue in the House on August 13. Kharge said “I do not want to turn this into a political issue. I have never told anyone that I am Dalit – protect me – nor have I begged in front of anyone. But in Haldwani, the purification of the stage made me feel the sting of untouchability and humiliated me. My demand is that a case should be registered under the Untouchability Act against those who purified the stage in Haldwani.”  Leader of the House J P Nadda had promised to look into it. On its part, the Ram Sena justified the ceremony.