Kharge venue 'purification' row: K'taka Dy CM Parameshwara calls perpetrators 'anti-national'
Synopsis
A reported 'purification' ritual at the Haldwani venue visited by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge — allegedly because he is Dalit — has drawn fierce condemnation from Karnataka Deputy CM G. Parameshwara, who called the perpetrators 'anti-national' and demanded criminal cases. The episode lays bare a stark national contradiction: the country that first landed on the Moon's South Pole still grapples with caste-based untouchability.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Deputy CM G.
Parameshwara condemned an alleged 'purification' ritual at Ram Leela Ground, Haldwani , on 13 August .
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had attended a party programme at the venue on 8 August ; the ritual was allegedly conducted because Kharge is Dalit.
Parameshwara called those responsible 'anti-national' and demanded FIRs and stringent punishment.
Ambedkar and the Constitution, warning that vested interests are actively undermining Constitutional safeguards against untouchability.
Parameshwara appealed to Dalit members of the BJP to 'introspect' on whose interests they serve.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday, 13 August sharply condemned the alleged 'purification' ritual reportedly conducted at a venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge visited the site — calling it proof that 'caste discrimination and untouchability continue to persist in the country.'
What Happened
Kharge had attended a Congress programme at the Ram Leela Ground in Haldwani on 8 August. Reports subsequently emerged that the venue was subjected to a so-called 'purification' ritual, allegedly because Kharge belongs to the Dalit community. The reports drew swift and widespread condemnation from political leaders, with Parameshwara — who also holds the Revenue and Sports portfolio — among the most vocal.
Parameshwara's Condemnation
'I strongly condemn this disgraceful and inhuman act of caste-based humiliation directed against our senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge. This incident is evidence that the dark practices of caste discrimination and untouchability continue to remain alive in our country even today,' Parameshwara said in a statement.
Drawing a sharp contrast, the Deputy Chief Minister noted that India had made history by becoming the first nation to reach the Moon's South Pole, yet segments of its society remained 'hesitant to touch a Dalit.' 'These are the two contrasting faces of Indian society,' he added.
Parameshwara, himself a member of the Dalit community, said he was 'deeply troubled' by the question of whether, if even the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha faced such treatment, ordinary Dalits could be faring any better.
Constitutional and Political Dimensions
Invoking B.R. Ambedkar and the Constitution, Parameshwara argued that the founding document had provided a path toward dignity and equality for oppressed communities — a path he said vested interests were actively subverting through 'casteism, untouchability, superstition and regressive practices.' He described those responsible for the alleged ritual as 'not merely anti-Constitution' but 'anti-national as well.'
In a pointed political remark, Parameshwara questioned whether India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance was being taken 'back to the era of Manusmriti.' He also appealed to Dalit and marginalised community members currently aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to 'introspect and question whose interests they are strengthening.'
Demand for Legal Action
Parameshwara urged Prime Minister Modi to ensure that cases were registered against those responsible for what he termed 'unconstitutional untouchability' carried out under the guise of 'purification,' and demanded 'stringent punishment.' 'If such practices are not brought to an end through the law, future generations will certainly not forgive us,' he said.
The incident has reignited a national conversation on caste discrimination, with political parties expected to intensify scrutiny of the Haldwani episode in the run-up to forthcoming state elections.
Point of View
A Rajya Sabha LoP, can reportedly be 'cleansed away' from a public ground, it exposes how inadequately anti-untouchability law is enforced at the ground level. Parameshwara's demand for FIRs is constitutionally sound — Article 17 abolishes untouchability and its practice is a criminal offence — yet such cases rarely result in conviction. The BJP's silence or response will be scrutinised closely, given that the incident occurred in BJP-governed Uttarakhand. The broader contradiction Parameshwara highlights — Chandrayaan's triumph alongside caste humiliation — is one mainstream coverage often treats as separate stories. They are not.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the alleged 'purification' ritual at Haldwani?
Reports indicate that a 'purification' ritual was conducted at the Ram Leela Ground in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge — who belongs to the Dalit community — attended a party programme there on 8 August. The alleged ritual drew condemnation as an act of caste-based untouchability.
What did Karnataka Deputy CM Parameshwara say about the incident?
Parameshwara called the act 'disgraceful and inhuman' and described those responsible as 'anti-national.' He demanded that Prime Minister Modi ensure FIRs are registered and stringent punishment is handed down, warning that failure to act would not be forgiven by future generations.
Is the alleged ritual a criminal offence under Indian law?
Yes. Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability, and its practice in any form is a punishable offence under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Parameshwara specifically described the act as 'unconstitutional untouchability.'
Why did Parameshwara invoke Chandrayaan and B.R. Ambedkar?
Parameshwara drew a contrast between India's achievement of landing near the Moon's South Pole — a historic first — and the persistence of caste discrimination at home. He also cited Ambedkar's role in drafting the Constitution as the foundational remedy to such discrimination.
What is the political significance of the incident?
The incident occurred in BJP-governed Uttarakhand and involves the Congress's national president, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Parameshwara used the episode to appeal to Dalit members of the BJP to reconsider their political allegiances, signalling that the Congress intends to make caste dignity a key electoral issue.
