BJP and Congress clash over FIR against Rahul Gandhi following Haldwani rally venue remarks

BJP and Congress spar over FIR against Rahul Gandhi after his demand for action over Haldwani rally venue 'purification' remarks.

NEW DELHI: The war of words between BJP and Congress escalated Monday as the opposition party slammed the FIR against Rahul Gandhi after he demanded action over "purification" of the Haldwani rally venue as reflective of his rival's "abhorrently casteist behaviour" and BJP saying he was belatedly raking up the issue because of Mallikharjun Kharge's threat to quit as Congress chief. The sparring between the two parties came a day after Uttarakhand Police registered a case against Rahul under various BNS sections, besides SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, after the complainant, a Dalit, alleged he had given a caste angle to the cleaning work coupled with a religious ritual at Ramlila Maidan, the rally venue. Congress released a video with the title "cases are my medals" with Rahul's comments - "There are 36 cases against me. I am not afraid of Narendra Modi. But the truth is if anyone is scared, it is Modi." Senior Congress functionary Sachin Pilot asked if seeking justice is a crime. "Voice for justice cannot be suppressed under the weight of FIRs. The anti-dalit face of BJP stands exposed," he said, referring to Congress's claim that "purification" of the dais happened because Kharge, a Dalit, had addressed a meeting from it.

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BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "Rahul slept for nearly three weeks..." It seems Rahul took it up only after Kharge told him what is the point in staying in Congress when his own issue is not being raised, he added. Uttarakhand CM said people in the state are not even aware of Kharge's caste, and cited the defence of organisers, which had members from Scheduled Castes, that they cleaned the dais because it, stage for annual Ram Lila, had been left littered.

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