Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi order an FIR against those involved in the “shuddikaran” or purification of the Ramlila ground in Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit, addressed a public meeting there.
Calling it a fight between two ideologies — the Constitution versus the RSS-BJP’s views — Gandhi said his party president must get justice and urged the government to take action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
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“Our demand is an FIR should be lodged at the earliest against those who performed Shuddikaran. The Prime Minister said he belongs to all castes. His party chief in Uttarakhand claimed Shuddikaran was the right thing to do. We want the PM to give order to file an FIR under the SC/ST act. This show the BJP and RSS’ mindset. They don’t want a Dalit to become prosperous and live respectfully. We are not asking for anything impossible. According to the Constitution this is a crime. We are seeking justice for the Congress president. We are not asking anything more. It is a duty of the state government and the national government to ensure that Kharge ji gets justice in Uttarakhand,” Gandhi said at a press conference on Saturday.
Playing a video that showed the BJP’s Uttarakhand chief supporting Shuddikaran, Gandhi said, “It is a reflection of PM’s ideology that he is not saying anything. BJP’s Uttarakhand chief has committed an illegal act by justifying the act. But the PM is silent.”
{{/usCountry}}Playing a video that showed the BJP’s Uttarakhand chief supporting Shuddikaran, Gandhi said, “It is a reflection of PM’s ideology that he is not saying anything. BJP’s Uttarakhand chief has committed an illegal act by justifying the act. But the PM is silent.”
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Congress president had raised the issue of purification at the Congress Working Committee meeting on August 19 and had lamented that some party leaders didn’t take up the issue.
Gandhi, in the press conference, raised the larger question of atrocities and violence faced by Dalits in India, pointing out how Dalit students are made to clean toilets in schools, barred from drinking water from the village well or in tea shops, given different cups and forced to wear helmets to protect themselves from stone pelting during wedding processions. He alleged that a shuddikaran followed after Union minister Jitin Ram Majhi visited a temple.
“This is done by the BJP and RSS and this is a crime according to the Constitution. Shuddikaran is another name for untouchability. Which is illegal but BJP practises it,” Gandhi said.
The Leader of the Opposition further pointed out that Kharge addressed a rally on August 8. The Shuddikaran took place on August 10 by BJP-RSS workers. “20 days have passed but no case has been filed under the SC/ ST act. No action has been taken,” he said.
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The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act came into force in 1995 to prevent atrocities and violence against the vulnerable sections. It has been amended to impose stricter punishment.
“He is our president and he must get justice today or tomorrow. Kharge ji not getting justice is not going to be a possibility. An FIR has to be filed,” Gandhi said.
Clarifying what happened in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Gandhi said, “Kharge ji said certain people did not support him. He never said the vast majority didn’t support him. I have spoken to Kharge ji. This is not the issue of Kharge alone. This is an issue of al Dalits in Hindustan. We have raised it but this is tip of iceberg. If such a thing can happen to our president who is a senior leader, imagine what is happening with a child. This is not acceptable for us.”