By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 4 Sep: The controversy over the alleged ‘purification’ of the venue in Haldwani following Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally on 8 August shows no signs of abating, with the political confrontation now taking the shape of a statewide campaign. The Pradesh Congress Committee has announced a march to the Chief Minister’s residence in Dehradun on 7 September to press its demands, while the BJP has also decided to organise ‘Samajik Sauhard Sankalp Dharna’ at all 19 organisational district headquarters across Uttarakhand on the same day.
Congress leaders are also claiming that top Central leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi may join the march. However, officially there is no confirmation of Rahul Gandhi planning to join the protest in Dehradun.
The competing programmes are set to bring the purification controversy onto the streets, with the Congress seeking to keep the issue alive ahead of the forthcoming elections and the BJP preparing to counter what it describes as an attempt to disturb social harmony in the State.
It may be recalled that Kharge had addressed a major Congress rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani on 8 August. The controversy erupted after some people allegedly carried out a purification ritual at the programme venue on 11 August under the banner of Shri Ram Sena. The Congress has taken strong exception to the incident, describing it as an insult to Kharge, a senior national leader of the party and a prominent ‘Dalit’ leader. Though, Kharge is officially a Buddhist, nevertheless, the Congress is trying to turn the incident into an insult to the Dalit community and make it a major plank in view of coming assembly elections not only in Uttarakhand but also in Punjab, Himachal and other states where elections are due early next year.
According to the programme announced by the Congress, party workers will assemble at Parade Ground in Dehradun at 10 a.m. on 7 September and subsequently march towards the CM’s residence. The party has indicated that it could reconsider the proposed march if the government accepts its demands before the programme.
The Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against those allegedly involved in carrying out the purification at the Haldwani venue. The party says that despite the complaints being submitted to the Governor, senior police officials and various police stations, no FIR has been registered against those responsible. The Congress has also alleged that an FIR has been registered against its senior leader Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani at the instance of the BJP.
Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal said that the party’s principal demands are registration of an FIR against those who carried out the purification in Haldwani, withdrawal of the FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi and strict action against those responsible for the incident. He said the party would intensify its agitation if the government fails to accept the demands.
He also claimed that CM Dhami and BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt have justified the purification, which amounts to a violation of the law and goes against the basic spirit of the Constitution. Therefore, an FIR should also be registered against them, he asserted.
Godiyal claimed that Rahul Gandhi himself was the complainant in the matter, yet an FIR has been registered against him. He said that the FIR should be cancelled. If the government does not accept these three demands, the party will force the government to accept them.
Godiyal added that the Congress is prepared to fight the issue ideologically as well as politically. The government will have to understand that the Congress is fully prepared for the ideological battle it wants to fight. If the party has to take this fight to the streets, the party leaders are prepared for that as well.
The Congress leadership has begun preparations to make the 7 September march a major show of strength. Party sources said Rahul Gandhi and other national leaders may participate in the programme, although the Congress has not yet made any formal announcement regarding their participation.
On the other hand, the BJP too has finalised its counter-strategy. BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt said the ‘Samajik Sauhard Sankalp Dharna’ would be organised because the Congress has attempted to disturb social harmony in Uttarakhand, which is known as Devbhoomi. He said the incident in Haldwani had been used to create a message of social discord and that the BJP would counter such attempts by taking the message of harmony to the people.
Bhatt said members and workers of the party’s Scheduled Caste Morcha would stage the dharnas at all the 19 organisational district headquarters on 7 September. He said the programme would convey the BJP’s commitment to maintaining social harmony and opposing attempts to create animosity in society.
Bhatt alleged that the Congress has no substantive issues and is attempting to create social discord for political purposes. The Congress has no questions to raise. It only works to create social discord. The BJP would therefore hold the dharna to counter this attempt to spread animosity. With both parties announcing programmes on the same day, the Haldwani purification controversy is now set to become a major political confrontation in Uttarakhand. While the Congress is seeking action against those responsible for the alleged purification and withdrawal of the FIR against Rahul Gandhi, the BJP is preparing to project itself as the defender of social harmony, setting the stage for a politically charged 7 September in the State.
