The FIR registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on a purification ritual at a Haldwani rally venue reflects a larger battle over Dalit politics, senior journalist Sunil Prabhu said. Calling it “competitive Dalit politics”, he said the controversy could become an electoral issue as political parties seek to consolidate their Dalit support.
Political row takes legal turn
Speaking to The Federal on Capital BeatPrabhu said the FIR against Rahul came after the controversy over the purification ritual had already become a political issue, with senior BJP leaders publicly responding to the matter. “They have filed an FIR against Rahul Gandhi because they feel enough is enough,” he said, adding that “the narrative is not going the way the BJP wanted”.
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The legal case stems from remarks made by Rahul during a New Delhi press conference about a post-rally purification ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground, where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a public meeting. Rahul described the ritual as an act of untouchability and called for legal action under the SC/ST Act against its organisers.
Dalit politics takes centre stage
Explaining her party’s position, Congress spokesperson Wg Cdr Anuma Acharya (retd) said the purification ritual sent an unmistakable message because it followed Kharge’s rally at the same venue. “The ground need to be purified because a Dalit leader stood on it,” she said, arguing that the ritual amounted to untouchability and justified Rahul’s demand for action under the SC/ST Act. “By lodging complaints, the BJP just wants to trouble Rahul Gandhi because he is calling them out where it hurts the most,” she added.
Senior journalist TK Rajalakshmi questioned the role of the complainant and others from the Dalit community in the case, arguing that they were being used in the political confrontation. Referring to the complaint against Rahul, she said, “They are being used. Essentially the Dalits are being used by the BJP.”
She also pointed to the large presence of Valmikis among sanitation workers, noting that the community is classified as a Scheduled Caste. Rajalakshmi said the episode should instead prompt the Congress to use the controversy to advance a broader agenda of social reform. “It is high time and it’s an opportunity for the Congress to make the whole agenda of social reform,” she said.
Assembly poll stakes rise
Prabhu said the controversy could have electoral consequences in Uttarakhand, where Scheduled Castes account for nearly a fifth of the population. “Definitely, it can become an electoral issue. As I said, this is an emotive issue,” he said, adding that the Congress was seeking to regain its base among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
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The discussion highlighted that caste discrimination, untouchability and Scheduled Caste mobilisation remain key political issues ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
The FIR has now added a legal dimension to a controversy that began with the purification ritual at the Haldwani venue. The police investigation will now determine how the case proceeds.