Kharge demanded that cases be registered under Untouchability Act and those involved be arrested. NEW DELHI: Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged in RS Thursday people associated with BJP “purified” the stage at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, two days after he made a speech there on Aug 8.Leader of the House J P Nadda said BJP did not support such activities, the incident was “painful” and action would be taken against the culprits.Raising the issue during zero hour, Kharge said, “I did not mention the name of any caste or religion, I only spoke about the problems of the people. But with great pain, I have to say that after my speech, BJP people performed a ‘havan’ (ritual) there and carried out purification of the stage. Is this the way democracy works? How are you protecting the Constitution?”Kharge demanded that cases be registered under Untouchability Act and those involved be arrested.Nadda said the issue shouldn’t be politicised or sensationalised. “There will be a detailed investigation. Let me make it clear that BJP never subscribes to such activities. I condemn this. The incident has hurt your (Kharge) sentiments and it is a matter of regret for all of us,” he said.Some MPs were heard saying that those behind the purification were protesting against the raising of slogans associated with a particular religion, because the ground also happened to be a venue for Ramlilas. Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, however, didn’t allow anyone besides Kharge and Nadda to speak.Kharge said he had never told anyone he needed protection because he was a Dalit. “I have the strength to fight, and I do fight. But the purification of the stage made me feel the pain of untouchability and humiliated me,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRadhakrishnan said, “We all condemn untouchability. We are all purified. Those who have done this wrong will be investigated, they should be caught and punished. There are no two opinions on this.”Later, calling the incident “reflective of RSS-BJP’s mindset”, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said PM Narendra Modi must apologise for the caste prejudice shown towards Kharge. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the act went “against everything that Ambedkar and the Constitution tell us”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123PhotostoriesExclusive – From struggling with the painful tear gas stunt due to asthma to life as an expat in Thailand; Avika Gor on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, stunts and moreA high-value woman doesn’t chase validation: 5 Signs of a woman who knows her worth, sets boundaries and walks away when neededOprah Winfrey talks sleep with Dr John La Puma: Why your nighttime routine may be affecting your heart, hormones and body clock’Vishwanath And Sons’: Five reasons to watch Suriya and Mamitha Baiju starrer helmed by Venky Atluri on big screens10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? Here’s what they actually doYour balcony can be more than a laundry zone: 8 clever makeover ideas to turn a small Indian apartment balcony into a space you will actually useAlia Bhatt’s hairstylist Amit Thakur reveals the truth about hair spas!Kangana Ranaut turns heads on her first Teej in a Kanjeevaram lime green saree, proving traditional never means boring1230Top TrendingChhattisgarh NH-30 AccidentKarnataka Closed TodayMallikarjun KhargeBengaluru Mother AccidentGermany Haryana Youth MurderGujarat SuicideSouth Delhi MurderAbhijeet DipkeWeather TomorrowShakeel Noorani
NEW DELHI: Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged in RS Thursday people associated with BJP “purified” the stage at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, two days after he made a speech there on Aug 8.Leader of the House J P Nadda said BJP did not support such activities, the incident was “painful” and action would be taken against the culprits.Raising the issue during zero hour, Kharge said, “I did not mention the name of any caste or religion, I only spoke about the problems of the people. But with great pain, I have to say that after my speech, BJP people performed a ‘havan’ (ritual) there and carried out purification of the stage. Is this the way democracy works? How are you protecting the Constitution?”Kharge demanded that cases be registered under Untouchability Act and those involved be arrested.Nadda said the issue shouldn’t be politicised or sensationalised. “There will be a detailed investigation. Let me make it clear that BJP never subscribes to such activities. I condemn this. The incident has hurt your (Kharge) sentiments and it is a matter of regret for all of us,” he said.Some MPs were heard saying that those behind the purification were protesting against the raising of slogans associated with a particular religion, because the ground also happened to be a venue for Ramlilas. Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, however, didn’t allow anyone besides Kharge and Nadda to speak.Kharge said he had never told anyone he needed protection because he was a Dalit. “I have the strength to fight, and I do fight. But the purification of the stage made me feel the pain of untouchability and humiliated me,” he said.
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Radhakrishnan said, “We all condemn untouchability. We are all purified. Those who have done this wrong will be investigated, they should be caught and punished. There are no two opinions on this.”Later, calling the incident “reflective of RSS-BJP’s mindset”, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said PM Narendra Modi must apologise for the caste prejudice shown towards Kharge. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the act went “against everything that Ambedkar and the Constitution tell us”.
