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New Delhi : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is upset over the silence of Congress leaders regarding the ‘shuddhikaran’ controversy. He expressed his displeasure during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday.
According to media reports, the Congress President told party leaders present at the meeting that he was pained by the fact that many CWC members did not openly support him by condemning the purification incident. Kharge was referring to the incident in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where certain Hindutva organizations performed a ‘purification’ ritual at the venue following his rally.
Although Kharge did not name any specific leader, sources indicated that his demeanor suggested he was upset about the lack of support from some senior leaders on this issue.
Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed the ‘Vijay Shankhnad Rally’ at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani on August 8. Two days later, on August 10, a right-wing group called ‘Sri Ram Sena’ performed a purification havan (ritual fire ceremony) at the rally venue.
Later, while briefing the media on the CWC discussions, Venugopal addressed the purification controversy. He termed the incident unacceptable and condemnable, alleging that it revealed the BJP’s mindset.
The Congress had alleged that those who performed the purification ritual were linked to the BJP and RSS, claiming that the act exposed an anti-Dalit mindset.
On the other hand, the BJP distanced itself from the right-wing organization’s actions and condemned the purification ritual. The Congress chief had also raised this issue in Parliament on the last day of the monsoon session.
Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)
