- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged that the BJP's ideology is the root cause of the Kharge 'shuddhikaran' row, stating that excuses, regret, or semantic deflections cannot mask the underlying problem and that the incident reflects a deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset of the BJP's leadership and ideology.
- Tharoor emphasized that this is not a personal issue but a systemic one, saying that if the National President of the principal opposition party can be subjected to this mindset, then ordinary Dalit citizens and children face even worse indignities daily.
- Tharoor declared, “Justice for Kharge Ji is Justice for All Dalits”, and said the Congress would not remain silent over the incident.
- Tharoor argued that performing a 'purification' ritual after the presence of a prominent Dalit leader is an act of untouchability, which is unconstitutional, unacceptable, and a punishable offense under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- Tharoor demanded “concrete action, accountability, and justice”, stating that a crime under the Constitution remains a crime regardless of how it is packaged.
- Rahul Gandhi also condemned the act, stating that performing a 'purification' ritual is a crime and demanding an FIR be registered immediately against those who carried it out in Uttarakhand.
- Gandhi pointed out the contradiction that while the Prime Minister claims to belong to every caste, the state chief of his party stated that the purification was justified.
- Gandhi demanded that the Prime Minister immediately order the registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act, and that both the State Government and the Central Government ensure justice for Kharge ji in Uttarakhand.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has condemned the BJP's ideology as the root cause of the 'shuddhikaran' controversy involving party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Tharoor stated, “This incident reflects the deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset of the BJP's leadership and ideology.” He emphasized that the act of performing a 'purification' ritual after Kharge's visit is an act of untouchability, which is unconstitutional and a violation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.1346
Tharoor further asserted, “Justice for Kharge Ji is Justice for All Dalits,” highlighting the broader implications of the incident for Dalit citizens in India. He called for “concrete action, accountability, and justice,” insisting that a crime under the Constitution remains a crime regardless of its presentation.8
In support, Rahul Gandhi demanded immediate action, stating, “We want the Prime Minister to immediately order the registration of an FIR against these individuals under the SC/ST Act.” He criticized the BJP's leadership, questioning the Prime Minister's claims of representing all castes while the state chief justified the purification ritual. Gandhi emphasized the need for both the State and Central Governments to ensure justice for Kharge in Uttarakhand, stating, “It is the duty of both the State Government and the Central Government to ensure that Kharge ji receives justice.”7
“Tharoor called the purification ritual an act of untouchability, unconstitutional and punishable under the SC/ST Act, and said 'Justice for Kharge Ji is Justice for All Dalits.' Gandhi pointed out the contradiction that the PM claims to belong to every caste while his party's state chief justified the act.”
