Congress MPs Demand FIR After Alleged ‘Purification’ Ritual at Haldwani Ramlila Maidan

On Tuesday, a handful of senior Congress parliamentarians – among them Mallu Ravi, Vamsi Krishna Gaddam and a few other SC/ST MPs – gathered outside the Parliament Street police station in Delhi. Their purpose was clear: to press the authorities to lodge a formal FIR against what they described as a “purification” ritual that had taken place at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan after a rally led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to the MPs, the ceremony was not a harmless cultural act but a deliberate affront to the Dalit community. “It’s a categorical attack on Dalits across the country,” Gaddam told ANI, linking the incident to what he called the BJP’s “Manusmriti‑based” ideology. He added that the Constitution, born out of Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s vision, should protect marginalized groups from such atrocities even decades later.

The Congress leaders said they had already tried to secure an audience with the President of India to highlight the issue, but received no response. Undeterred, they resolved to file a “Zero FIR” – a complaint that can be lodged even before a cognisable offence is formally proven – and announced plans for a large‑scale dharna at Jantar Mantar.

Vamsi Krishna Gaddam recounted a rather frustrating scene at the police station: “Around twenty SC/ST MPs arrived, but we were barred from entry. No one would talk to us. We simply want to submit a complaint, yet we’re being kept out.” His tone mixed irritation with a lingering hope that the police would eventually act.

Meanwhile, Mallu Ravi explained that the party had been waiting for a reply regarding a meeting with the President. “Since no appointment materialised, we are here to decide our next steps. We will file a case at Parliament Street police station against those who organized the ‘purification’,” he said, emphasizing that all SC/ST MPs would protest at Jantar Mantar until the culprits are arrested.

Rajendra Pal Gautam, the AICC’s Uttar Pradesh in‑charge, reinforced the demand for an FIR, reminding everyone that Indian law obliges police to register a complaint when a cognisable offence is reported. “If the BJP‑run governments truly believe in the Constitution, law and courts, they will act promptly,” he asserted, noting that a flood of 80 complaints – 19 of them from Nainital district – had already reached the authorities.

Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, another Congress MP, summed up the frustration succinctly: “We are here just to file a Zero FIR. What kind of dictatorship treats elected representatives like us as outsiders?” Her remark hinted at a broader discontent with what she perceives as a growing authoritarian streak.

On the ground in Uttarakhand, the situation took a slightly different turn. The Nainital police, acting on a complaint lodged by Congress worker Anju, registered an FIR at Haldwani Kotwali under Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3(1)(R) of the SC/ST Act. The case is now being handled by SP Crime Jagdish Chandra, a senior gazetted officer.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, however, rejected the narrative of a caste‑based ritual altogether. He claimed that the event was organised by the independent “Shri Ram Sena” and that no press release or video evidence pointed to any caste targeting. “If there is evidence, we have asked for it. Should an offence be proven, we will take the strictest action,” he said, subtly accusing the Congress of politicising the incident.

The episode has already sparked a small march: Congress workers walked from the Parade Ground to the Chief Minister’s residence, demanding swift action. Whether the protest at Jantar Mantar will draw a larger crowd remains to be seen, but the MPs are clear – they will keep pressing until a FIR is registered and the alleged perpetrators are held accountable.