FIR Lodged Against Rahul Gandhi In Uttarakhand Over Alleged Remarks On Haldwani 'Purification' Ritual

An FIR has been registered against Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following a complaint alleging that his remarks about a religious ritual conducted at the Ramlila Ground on August 11 gave the episode a caste-based interpretation and hurt the sentiments of members of the Valmiki community.

The case was registered at Haldwani Kotwali Police Station on August 30, based on a complaint by Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar and a member of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas. Kumar identified himself as belonging to the Scheduled Caste community.

The FIR invokes Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with a provision of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Section 196 BNS concerns acts promoting enmity between groups and prejudicial to communal harmony, while Section 299 deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

Complaint over Rahul Gandhi’s August 29 remarks

The complaint relates to comments made by Gandhi at a press conference in New Delhi on August 29, when he criticised a religious ritual conducted at the Haldwani Ramlila Ground.

The controversy began after a purification ritual and cleanliness drive was conducted at the ground on August 11, three days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public meeting there on August 8.

Gandhi had criticised the ritual and demanded that an FIR be registered under the SC/ST Act against those responsible. He alleged that the incident reflected the practice of untouchability and raised concerns over what he described as discriminatory treatment of Dalits.

Gandhi had called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that a First Information Report (FIR) is registered against those responsible. He had also accused the BJP-RSS of seeking to prevent Dalits from progressing and living with dignity and respect.

"We are demanding justice for the Congress president. Give the Congress president justice in Uttarakhand. It is the duty of the Central and State governments to ensure that Kharge ji gets justice" Gandhi had said at a press conference.

Complainant says Gandhi wrongly portrayed participants

Kumar has alleged that Gandhi made these assertions without verifying the circumstances surrounding the ritual.

According to the complaint, Kumar himself was present during the cleanliness drive and religious ceremony and claimed that people from different sections of society, including members of the Scheduled Caste community, participated in it.

He alleged that by describing the episode as an act of untouchability and as an offence against Scheduled Castes, Gandhi had wrongly portrayed the participants as anti-Dalit and created tension between communities.

The complainant further claimed that the ritual had no connection with Kharge's caste and that the people involved were not acting against any particular caste group.

Haldwani City Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Katyal confirmed to PTI that the FIR had been registered on the complaint and said an investigation was underway.

Earlier, Congress leaders had criticised the purification ritual as an indication of an anti-Dalit mindset. Gandhi had also called for criminal action against those responsible.

The BJP, however, had rejected the allegations made by Gandhi and Congress Party. It claims that the venue was left littered after Kharge's rally and that slogans allegedly inappropriate for a religious place were raised there.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that those who conducted the ritual were not BJP workers.