Rahul Gandhi wrote on X on Thursday that even today a person’s status is determined by their birth. (File Photo)
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused BJP-RSS of promoting Manuwadi (casteist) ideology. He made this statement regarding the purification of the stage after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s Haldwani rally.
Rahul wrote on platform X on Thursday that this is the kind of mentality that even today determines a person’s status by their birth, not by equality and humanity.
Congress has also announced a march and satyagraha at district headquarters across the country on August 14 regarding this issue.
Kharge said- Never begged anyone for protection
Mallikarjun Kharge alleged in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that on August 8, he had delivered a speech from the stage at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, where lakhs of people were present. At that time, I did not mention any community or any religion. I only highlighted the problems of the people there. But after my speech, BJP people performed a havan and purified the stage.
Kharge said that he comes from a Scheduled Caste and has been in Parliament for years, but has never pleaded before anyone for his protection. He demanded that a case be registered under the Untouchability Act against those who purified the stage in Haldwani and they should be arrested.
A day after Kharge’s rally, Hindu organizations conducted a purification havan at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan on August 9.
JP Nadda said – Incident is sad for the entire country
Union Minister JP Nadda said that what happened with Kharge ji or the sentiments that were hurt, is sad not only for Congress but for all of us and the entire country.
BJP does not support any such activity. We will investigate this entire matter thoroughly and if anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken against them. When we are saying that we do not support such thinking, then Kharge sahab should also not politicize this issue.
Kharge is the second Dalit President of Congress
Mallikarjun Kharge is the second Dalit President in Congress after Babu Jagjivan Ram. Jagjivan Ram had assumed the responsibility of Congress President in 1970-71.
Kharge’s political journey started from Karnataka and he was elected MLA 9 times. After that, he was an MP from Gulbarga Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and 2014.
After 2014, he was the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha and after losing the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, he reached Rajya Sabha.
He was also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. Before becoming Congress President in 2022, Kharge remained among the senior leaders of the party for a long time.
