New Delhi: The political dispute over an alleged “suddhikaran” (purification) ritual in Uttarakhand intensified on Saturday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly rejecting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations and accusing him of trying to create social divisions.
The controversy erupted after an alleged purification ritual was reportedly carried out following an event attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Haldwani. Rahul Gandhi criticised the incident and demanded an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Responding to Gandhi, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said there was no caste-related angle in the videos associated with the controversy. He accused the Congress of repeatedly using issues related to caste, language, region and gender to create divisions within society.
Trivedi said political opponents were looking for “new ways to create conflict” and alleged that the Congress was attempting to divide Hindu society. He also questioned Gandhi’s criticism of the BJP by referring to incidents involving members of the Dalit community during Congress-led governments.
The BJP leader further attacked the Congress over its historical relationship with BR Ambedkar and cited the political treatment of the former law minister after his electoral defeat in 1952.
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, has maintained that the alleged purification ritual was discriminatory and constituted a serious violation of the law. He has called for immediate legal action against those responsible.
The exchange has turned the Uttarakhand incident into a wider political confrontation, with both parties accusing each other of exploiting sensitive social issues for political purposes.
The BJP has sought to shift the focus towards what it describes as Congress attempts to promote caste-based divisions, while the Congress has continued to demand accountability over the alleged incident.
The controversy is expected to remain a point of political debate as both sides sharpen their attacks ahead of upcoming electoral and political battles.
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