A political controversy has erupted in Uttarakhand after members of a right-wing group performed a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) yagna at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground, two days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally at the venue.
Members of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas Sangathan carried out the ritual on August 10, saying the ground has religious and cultural significance and should not be used for political programmes.
The group also alleged that “objectionable slogans” were raised during Kharge’s August 8 rally. Girsh Chandra Pandey, a member of the organisation, said, “Ram Lila Ground is meant for religious and cultural events and should not be given to political parties.”
Pandey also claimed that some slogans during the rally “sounded like Islamic slogans” and referred to Kharge’s earlier remarks about the BJP and the RSS.
Congress Says Ritual Insults Kharge’s Dalit Identity
The purification ceremony drew a strong reaction from the Congress. Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal alleged that the ritual was conducted because Kharge belongs to the Dalit community and accused the BJP of promoting caste-based discrimination.
“The purification of the same platform from which our president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed the public during the Congress rally in Haldwani is extremely hurtful and reprehensible,” Godiyal said.
He alleged that the people involved in the ceremony had links with the BJP and described the incident as an example of a “narrow-minded mentality”.
Godiyal also questioned the role of the Nainital police and asked Senior Superintendent of Police T C Manjunath to investigate the matter and take action if any law had been violated.
“There is no place for discrimination and untouchability in modern democratic India,” Godiyal said, adding that the Congress would oppose such thinking through “democratic and constitutional means”.
The Congress has also accused the ruling BJP of orchestrating the ceremony, though the alleged links between the organisers and the BJP have not been independently established.
BJP Denies Link With Group
The BJP rejected the Congress allegations and denied any connection with the organisation that conducted the ritual.
Uttarakhand BJP spokesperson and cabinet minister Khajan Das described the Congress allegations as “baseless, false, and misleading.”
Das said the controversy should instead focus on the slogans allegedly raised during Kharge’s rally, which he claimed had hurt the sentiments of people who follow Sanatan traditions.
He accused the Congress of trying to turn the purification ceremony into a caste issue to divert attention from the alleged slogans.
The BJP also criticised the Congress over what it described as the party’s historical approach towards Sanatan traditions and referred to controversies involving prominent Dalit leaders.
Row Comes Ahead of 2027 Uttarakhand Polls
Kharge’s August 8 rally was part of the Congress’s preparations for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. During the event, the Congress president spoke about employment and promised opportunities for young people without corruption or favouritism if the party comes to power.
The dispute over the Ramlila Ground comes as the BJP and Congress step up their political activities in the state ahead of the Assembly elections.
