Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Aug: The Uttarakhand BJP today strongly attacked Congress for attempting to escalate the controversy surrounding the Haldwani Ramleela ground purification issue, terming it an insult to Sanatan Dharma and a ploy to divide the society through petty politics. The party today sought to clarify that it has no connection with any institution that might have carried out rituals at the venue after the address at Ramleela Ground in Haldwani following the speech of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. In a statement issued, today, Cabinet Minister and BJP’s State Spokesperson, Khajan Das alleged that that Congress is trying to deflect public anger over objectionable slogans raised in a sacred space.
It may be recalled that following some reports that an organisation named Ram Sena had carried out a Shuddhikaran (Purification) havan at Ramleela Ground after the Dalit President of Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, had held a rally there, Congress had sought to blame the government and the ruling party and had alleged that BJP was against the Dalits.
Das said that Congress is making baseless and misleading attempts to link the party with the organisation, ‘Ram Sena’, which performed purification and worship rituals. He stated that BJP has no association with such institutions. Das expressed strong objection to the raising of religious slogans of another faith during the rally on 11 August at the Ramleela ground, a site of immense religious significance for Sanatan Dharma. He said such acts amount to a direct insult to the faith of crores of Sanatanis and cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Das also accused Congress of being habitually anti-Sanatan, recalling that the party had denied the existence of Lord Ram, opposed the construction of the Ram temple and sought to build a mosque at the Ram Janmabhoomi site. He said for BJP, Sanatan is not just a word but a symbol of India’s cultural pride and self-respect, and the Ramleela ground, where the life of Lord Ram is enacted, holds deep importance for every Sanatani and BJP worker.
He remarked that, when Congress found itself cornered over the insult to Sanatan at the Ramleela ground, instead of apologising for its actions, it tried to use the reported rituals performed there as a cover to play its last card of caste-based politics. Das said the devout people of Uttarakhand have understood this conspiracy and will not forgive Congress for its anti-Sanatan conduct.
He further alleged that insulting Dalits has always been Congress’s tendency, citing instances where leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, BR Ambedkar, former party president Sitaram Kesri and Jagjivan Ram were humiliated or disregarded by the party on multiple occasions. Das said such a mindset cannot be forgotten and that what needs purification is not any ritual but Congress’s tainted mentality.
