- Kharge accused BJP of promoting caste divide in India.
- Cited 'shuddhikaran' havan after his Haldwani rally.
- Called BJP's act undemocratic, against the Constitution.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday called out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for promoting caste divide in the country. Kharge cited a recent incident in Uttarakhand's Haldwani when a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) havan was performed at the Ramlila Maidan following a Congress rally addressed by him.
"I was in Haldwani where I made a public speech at Ramlila Maidan. Lakhs of people were there. At that time, I did not mention the name of any community or religion; I only reiterated the issues of the Govt," Kharge told the Upper House.
"But after my speech, people of BJP performed a havan there to 'purify' that stage...Is this the way in a democracy? How are you protecting the Constitution? I am the LoP," he further said.
#WATCH | In Rajya Sabha, LoP and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge says, "...I was in Haldwani where I made a public speech at Ramlila Maidan. Lakhs of people were there. At that time, I did not mention the name of any community or religion; I only reiterated the issues of the… pic.twitter.com/oePxPC0jBr
— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2026
While addressing reporters outside Parlianent, Kharge claimed that there was "no space for Dalits" in the country.
"...We have been saying all along that there is no space for Dalits in this country. They are dividing everyone in the name of religion. What was the need for a 'havan' there? Ramlila Maidan is a venue for public meetings used by all parties, but what they did was, firstly, against the Hindu religion itself. Secondly, they are working to divide the country and incite conflict between castes," Kharge said.
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Reacting to the incident, union minister and former BJP president JP Nadda said that BJP in no way advocated such acts, adding that the matter would be investigated
“What Kharge ji said is really sad, not just for the Congress party but for all of us…BJP does not subscribe to such activities. Never. But we will investigate this. I assure you that whatever happened there will certainly be investigated. But I would like to make it clear that BJP does not subscribe to such activities. I condemn this. The national president will look into this. It is a matter of great regret for all of us that your sentiments were hurt," he said.
“I have already said that the BJP does not subscribe to such activities. This is a matter of regret for all of us, for the entire country. We will investigate this. But if Kharge sahab says “You do this", it is not right," Nadda added.
Last week, Kharge had urged the government to ensure that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses Parliament over the police action on July 20 protests, saying the Opposition wants the House to function smoothly but expects the government to respond to the concerns raised.
On the last day of Monsoon session, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed disruptions and sloganeering. The Opposition has rejected Home Minister Amit Shah’s offer of an extended debate, while the government has indicated that the session could be extended or a special sitting may be considered if the Opposition agrees to a discussion