Guwahati: A political controversy that began in Uttarakhand has now sparked protests in Assam, with the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) taking to the streets over the registration of an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The APCC said party workers staged demonstrations across several districts on September 1 in protest against the FIR filed against Gandhi in connection with his remarks on an alleged “purification” ritual held at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand.
In Guwahati, Congress workers gathered at Rajiv Bhawan, the APCC headquarters at Bhangagarh, as part of the protest programme. The party said the demonstrations were intended to oppose what it described as discriminatory conduct and the subsequent legal action against Gandhi for speaking out against it.
The controversy dates back to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan. Following the event, a religious ceremony described as “shuddhikaran” or purification was conducted at the venue. Congress leaders objected to the ritual and alleged that it carried caste-related implications because Kharge is a Dalit leader.
Rahul Gandhi subsequently criticised the incident and called for action against those responsible. The issue later escalated after an FIR was registered against him at Haldwani Kotwali following a complaint alleging that his comments had wrongly portrayed the ritual as an act of untouchability and caste discrimination.
The case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Assam Congress has strongly objected to the FIR, arguing that the response to the Haldwani incident represents a double standard. The party said those responsible for the alleged purification ceremony should face action instead of targeting a political leader who raised concerns over the treatment of a senior Dalit Congress leader.
In its statement, the APCC said the matter was not limited to Rahul Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge, but concerned wider questions of constitutional equality, social justice and the dignity of Dalits.
The party maintained that the Constitution guarantees equality and dignity to every citizen and accused the BJP government of failing to uphold those principles in its handling of the controversy.
The protests in Assam are part of the Congress’s wider response to the Haldwani FIR. APCC workers said they would continue to raise the issue and oppose what they termed an attempt to silence voices speaking against caste-based discrimination.
The Congress has also demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged “purification” at the rally venue, while reiterating its commitment to constitutional values, equality and social justice.
The Haldwani controversy has consequently moved beyond the original venue, becoming a broader political dispute between the Congress and BJP over caste discrimination, constitutional rights and the FIR against Rahul Gandhi.
