Congress to Hold Delhi Meeting Over Haldwani 'Purification Ritual' Row
Congress's SC/ST Parliamentarians Forum has announced a 'Dalit-Adivasi Self-Respect Meeting' in Delhi on September 29 over a 'purification ritual' conducted in Haldwani after a Congress rally last month.
Current Summary
According to a September 27 report by The Hindu, the Congress's SC/ST Parliamentarians Forum announced a 'Dalit-Adivasi Self-Respect Meeting' to be held in Delhi on September 29, 2026, over a 'purification ritual' conducted in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, last month following a rally addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress MP Mallu Ravi said the incident reflects the mindset of the Uttarakhand and Union governments, and criticised the state government's initial refusal to register an FIR. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the row on September 27, saying the havan performed as a purification ritual in Haldwani 'was not against any person, nor was it against any caste.' In a September 29 Hindustan Times interview, ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand assembly elections, Dhami went further, saying the Congress's attempt to build a Dalit narrative around the issue has been busted and that nothing improper took place. Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal has separately called Congress's related SIR allegations 'factless,' citing the EC's June 24, 2025 order and the Supreme Court's May 27, 2026 ruling upholding the exercise's validity.
What We Know
- Congress's SC/ST Parliamentarians Forum announced a 'Dalit-Adivasi Self-Respect Meeting' in Delhi for September 29, 2026.
- The meeting concerns a 'purification ritual' conducted in Haldwani last month after a rally addressed by Mallikarjun Kharge.
- Congress MP Mallu Ravi said the Uttarakhand government initially refused to register an FIR, which was filed only after Congress protests.
- Ravi said the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Uttarakhand Chief Minister have not condemned the incident.
- CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has publicly rejected Congress's claim that the Haldwani purification ritual targeted Dalits or Mallikarjun Kharge.
- Dhami made the remarks during a press conference in which he also defended the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal said Congress's SIR-related allegations lack factual basis, citing the EC's June 24, 2025 order and the Supreme Court's May 27, 2026 ruling upholding the exercise's validity.
- In a September 29 Hindustan Times interview, CM Dhami said the Congress's attempt to build a Dalit narrative around the Haldwani 'purification ritual' issue has been busted, and that nothing of that sort took place.
What Is Still Unclear
- The exact nature of the 'purification ritual' and who conducted it.
- The current status of the FIR and any investigation.
- The Uttarakhand government's official response to the allegations.
What Changed
- 29 Sept, 11:51 pmIn a September 29 Hindustan Times interview, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the Congress's attempt to build a Dalit narrative around the Haldwani 'purification' issue has been busted, and that nothing of that sort had actually taken place.
- 29 Sept, 11:12 pmDehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal rejected Congress's questions over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as 'factless,' saying allegations against constitutional bodies should be backed by official records, according to a September 28 Pioneer Edge report.
- 29 Sept, 09:01 pmChief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has responded to the Haldwani 'purification ritual' controversy, rejecting Congress's claim that the havan targeted Dalits or party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
- 29 Sept, 04:13 pmSignal detected: Congress to Hold Delhi Meeting Over Haldwani 'Purification Ritual' Row
Background
The controversy stems from a Congress rally in Haldwani addressed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge last month, after which the disputed ritual was reportedly carried out.