Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has accused the BJP’s leadership of fostering a “deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset”. This statement follows an alleged purification ritual, or ‘shuddhikaran’, that took place at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani after party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent visit. Tharoor’s remarks highlight ongoing concerns regarding the ideological underpinnings of the BJP as they relate to inclusivity and discrimination.
“The root cause is BJP’s Ideology: Excuses, regret, or semantic deflections cannot mask the underlying problem. This incident reflects the deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset of the BJP’s leadership and ideology. “This is not a personal issue or standard political back-and-forth. “Attempting to hide behind words like ‘shuddhikaran’ or ‘safai’, as @rahulgandhi pointed out, does not erase the nature of the act. Performing a ‘purification’ ritual following the presence of a prominent Dalit leader is an act of untouchability. “The Prime Minister claims to belong to every caste and to be the Prime Minister of all of India. “We want the Prime Minister to immediately order the registration of an FIR against these individuals under the SC/ST Act.
We must not allow those responsible to evade accountability,” Tharoor said in a statement on X. Tharoor said the incident was not merely a political dispute, arguing that it had wider implications for Dalit citizens. If the National President of the principal opposition party, a leader who has dedicated decades to public service, can be subjected to this mindset, imagine the everyday reality and indignities faced by ordinary Dalit citizens and children across India,” he said. Tharoor said, “Justice for Kharge Ji is Justice for All Dalits,” and said the Congress would not remain silent over the incident. It is unconstitutional, unacceptable, and a punishable offense under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” Tharoor said. Yet, the state chief of his party states that the purification was justified,” Gandhi said. It is the duty of both the State Government and the Central Government to ensure that Kharge ji receives justice in Uttarakhand,” he said.
