Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP and RSS of practicing untouchability through 'purification' rituals

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over a recent 'suddhikaran' or 'purification' ritual held at a venue in Uttarakhand where Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally. Calling the practice "another name for untouchability", Rahul alleged that such an act was a crime under the Constitution.

Addressing a presser at Congress headquarters in Delhi, the Rae Bareli MP said the country was witnessing a political contest between the ideology of the Constitution and that of the BJP and RSS. "Our CLP leader in Rajasthan visits a temple, and BJP leaders perform a 'purification' ritual. Congress President Kharge ji, who has dedicated his entire life to the country and the Constitution, goes to the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani to deliver a speech, and a purification ritual is performed there. Who does this? It is the people from the BJP and RSS," Rahul said.

"Only BJP and RSS members do this, and it is a crime. Under India's Constitution, this is a crime, a criminal activity. 'Purification' is actually just another name for untouchability. Untouchability was outlawed, yet BJP members practice it openly," he added. Former Congress president said the ritual suggested that Dalits were "unclean" and should not be touched. "When they perform this purification, they are effectively saying that Dalits should not be touched, that Dalits are unclean, and this constitutes a crime under the Indian Constitution," he said.

Rahul also said the larger political contest in the country was between two opposing ideologies. "A fight is under way in the country between two ideologies. On one side is the Constitution of India, the Constitution of Ambedkar, Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel. On the other is the ideology of the BJP and RSS. The politics currently playing out in India is between these two ideologies," Rahul said.

He also spoke about alleged caste-based discrimination and said Dalits continue to face discrimination despite constitutional safeguards. "For thousands of years, Dalits in this country have been subjected to atrocities and violence. While the Constitution made this illegal, even today, Dalit children in schools are made to clean toilets and sweep and mop floors," he said. "Just think about the impact this has on the minds of the future generation: children see some of their peers sweeping, while those doing the sweeping see others who do not have to do so. This is the reality of India," he added.

Congress leader further alleged that caste discrimination was also visible in access to common resources such as water. "Dalits are not allowed to drink water from the village well; they have had to dig their own private wells because they were barred from using the common village well," Rahul claimed. He also alleged that caste discrimination could be seen at tea stalls. "At tea stalls, you see two types of cups in use: a reusable glass cup that can be washed, and a paper or plastic cup that is discarded after use. The plastic or paper cups are for Dalits, while the glass ones are for others," he alleged. "This is the reality of India. This is the reality of Uttar Pradesh, the reality of North India, and you can see this in cities and villages," Rahul added.

The Haldwani controversy relates to a Congress rally held at Ramlila Maidan on August 8, ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand assembly elections. Members of a right-wing group later performed a purification ritual at the venue, drawing criticism from Congress leaders.

Kharge also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, linking the incident to his identity as a Dalit leader and alleging that it was an attempt to portray him as "untouchable". Kharge said he did not mention any community or religion during his speech at the venue. "But after my speech, people associated with the BJP carried out a 'purification' ritual of that stage. You may have read about this in the newspapers. Is this the way things should happen in a democracy? How are you protecting the Constitution?" Kharge had said. He later took to X and said he did not want the incident to be politicised, while calling for strict legal action and demanding that a case be filed under the Untouchability Act against those who conducted the ritual.