Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on August 29 demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi order an FIR against those involved in the alleged ‘purification’ of the Ramlila ground in Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit leader, addressed a public meeting there. Calling the controversy a battle between the Constitution and the ideology of the RSS-BJP, Gandhi said Kharge should get justice and urged the government to take action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Mahendra Bhatt said that the ritual took place because the venue had been defiled and polluted by the slogans raised during the programme.

Two days after Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a Congress rally in Haldwani, members of the Shri Ram Sena reportedly conducted a “shuddhikaran” havan at the venue. | India News