Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 31 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday condemned the alleged "purification" ritual carried out at a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after a public meeting addressed by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Demanding strict legal action, Owaisi said untouchability is unconstitutional and sought the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Speaking to ANI, the Hyderabad MP noted that while Union Minister and Leader of the House JP Nadda condemned the act in the Rajya Sabha, those allegedly involved belong to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"It is absolutely true that Mallikarjun Kharge raised this issue in the Rajya Sabha. It is also true that JP Nadda, representing the BJP government, condemned it. However, it is equally true that the individuals who committed that despicable act are all members of the RSS; social media and the mainstream media are flooded with images of them standing in RSS attire," he said.
Owaisi said the issue goes beyond party politics and is about upholding fundamental constitutional rights, stressing that untouchability remains illegal irrespective of the political stature of the victim.
"If such an act is committed against Mallikarjun Kharge or anyone else, we must remember that untouchability has been banned in this country under the Constitution. How can such an incident occur in 2026? I condemn this, and the government must take action. Consider this: if it hadn't been Mallikarjun Kharge, but rather Chandrashekhar Azad or another Dalit individual involved, would the country view it differently simply because Mr. Kharge belongs to a particular party? No. The law has been violated; untouchability is banned. This was wrong. I am not speaking out of regard for his position as a party president; I am speaking in defence of the Constitution," he added.
Owaisi criticised Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for taking the matter lightly, arguing that such responses undermine the vision of a modernised nation.
"It is deeply regrettable that in 2026--at a time when we speak of a 'Viksit Bharat'--such an incident occurs in Uttarakhand, and the Chief Minister treats it as a joke. This sends a wrong message to the entire nation; those responsible must be arrested and sent to jail immediately," he added.
A major political controversy erupted in August 2026 over an alleged shuddhikaran (purification) ritual performed at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand.
The ceremony took place shortly after Congress National President and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, addressed a public rally at the venue.
On August 8, Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a political rally at Haldwani's Ramlila Maidan. Two days later, members of a right-wing group (Shri Ram Sena) carried out a havan and sprinkled gangajal to "purify" the venue stage.
The Congress party condemned the act as an expression of an "anti-Dalit mindset" and a direct violation of constitutional protections against untouchability. Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in Parliament, demanding that those responsible be arrested and booked under the Untouchability (Offences) Act.
Senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, termed the ritual a "Manuvadi mindset" and an illegal attempt to degrade a Dalit leader.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) distanced itself from the ceremony. Union Minister and Leader of the House JP Nadda condemned the act in Parliament, clarifying that the BJP had no involvement with the organisers and promising an investigation.
The organisers (Shri Ram Sena) and local BJP representatives argued that the havan was performed not because of Kharge's caste, but because religious decorum was violated at the Ramlila ground. (ANI)
"How can untouchability occur in 2026?": Asaduddin Owaisi condemns Haldwani purification row, calls for immediate arrests
