Several Congress MPs, including Mallu Ravi and Vamsi Krishna Gaddam, reached a Delhi police station demanding an FIR over a ‘purification’ ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan, which they termed a ‘categorical attack against the Dalit community’.
Congress MPs Protest at Police Station
Congress MP Vamsi Krishna Gaddam, later speaking to reporters said that around 20 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe MPs had come to the police station but were not being allowed to enter. “20 SC/ST MPs have come here. They are refusing to let us enter. They are not even talking to us. We have come to submit a complaint, and these people are not allowing us to enter,” Gaddam said.Congress MP Mallu Ravi said the party had waited for a response regarding its request to meet the President and would now approach the police. “We have waited until now to see whether we would get an appointment with the President of India. So far, there has been no response. Hence, we are meeting here to decide what needs to be done. The party would file a case at the Parliament Street police station against those involved in the ‘purification’ ritual,” Ravi told ANI.“It is definite that all SC/ST MPs will sit in protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding that the culprits be arrested and action be taken against them,” he added.AICC In-charge, Uttar Pradesh Congress, Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party wanted an FIR registered, alleging that police were legally bound to act if a cognisable offence had been reported. “There is just one question. Do the BJP Govts believe in the country’s Constitution, law and courts? Law says that if there is a cognisable offence, it becomes the responsibility of the Police to file an FIR even when they receive just a telephonic message. But no FIR has been registered so far,” Gautam said.“Yesterday, our SC/ST Parliamentary Forum requested to meet the President. But we have not received any intimation so far. So, all our MP colleagues will sit together and give a complaint at Parliament Street Police Station for registration of an FIR,” he added.Congress MP Varsha Eknath Gaikwad said the MPs had come only to submit their complaint and reiterated their demand for a Zero FIR. “We are saying that we only want to submit a request. We want to say that an FIR should be registered. The way the purification was carried out, we have come here to file an FIR against it, and there should be a Zero FIR. This is our demand. And we are all MPs. What kind of dictatorship is going on here?” Gaikwad said.
FIR Registered by Nainital Police
Meanwhile, another FIR has been registered by Nainital Police in connection with the ‘purification’ of Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan. The FIR was registered at Haldwani Kotwali on a complaint by Congress worker Anju under Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3(1)(R) of the SC/ST Act.Nainital SSP Manjunath TC told ANI that police had received 80 complaints and petitions from across Uttarakhand, including 19 from Nainital district, seeking registration of an FIR in the matter. The SSP said that after legal examination of the complaints, a case was registered at Haldwani Kotwali on the complaint of Anju, who was the first person to submit a complaint. The investigation has been handed over to SP Crime Jagdish Chandra, a gazetted officer.The development comes a day after Congress marched from Parade Ground to the Chief Minister’s residence, demanding action against those responsible for the alleged ‘purification’ ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan following Kharge’s rally.
Uttarakhand CM Denies Allegations
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, however, has denied that any caste-based purification ritual took place at the venue. “Regarding the Haldwani incident, we have already stated that no purification ritual was performed based on anyone’s caste. ‘Shri Ram Sena’ is an independent organisation, and none of its press releases, issued either before or after the event, nor any videos, contained anything directed against any specific person or caste,” Dhami said.“If there is any evidence, we have asked for it to be produced; if such an act has occurred, we will take the strictest possible action,” he added.Dhami further accused the Congress of trying to build a political narrative around the issue. “The entire country, and all of Uttarakhand, understands the kind of political narrative they are trying to construct. That is why members of our party are gathering across the state today to awaken the public and spread awareness; our Scheduled Caste Morcha office-bearers and workers are actively working to expose them,” he said.
Related Legal Actions
The Nainital High Court has also dismissed a Public Interest Litigation filed by Dehradun resident Baijnath seeking an investigation into the Haldwani ‘purification’ incident. The court expressed satisfaction with the police action and declined to interfere in the ongoing investigation.Congress has also demanded the withdrawal of an FIR registered against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in connection with his remarks on the alleged purification ritual. Haldwani City Kotwali Police had on August 30 registered an FIR against Gandhi following a complaint by Amit Kumar, a member of the Valmiki community and an office-bearer of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas organisation. The complainant alleged that Gandhi’s remarks regarding the ‘shuddhikaran yajna’ at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community. Police invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the BNS in the case.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)