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Bengaluru Police Register Zero FIR Against Uttarakhand BJP Leaders Over Alleged Ritual After Kharge Rally

Bengaluru police have registered a zero FIR against Uttarakhand BJP leaders over an alleged 'purification' ritual performed after a rally by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

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Current Summary

Haldwani police have registered an FIR against Shri Ram Sena over the alleged 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ritual reportedly conducted after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's rally, according to a September 8 ANI News report. Nainital Police have separately registered an FIR against unknown persons over the same ritual, according to a September 8 The Hindu report, clarifying an earlier report that did not specify which police unit filed the FIR against unknown persons. A further September 8 Deccan Herald report notes that the Haldwani FIR came nearly 29 days after the original protests and political wars began, highlighting the delay. This follows an earlier zero FIR registered by Bengaluru Police against Uttarakhand BJP leaders, including state BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt, over the same incident, which was forwarded to Uttarakhand police. Congress leader Godiyal had said the zero FIR named Bhatt directly, calling it evidence of 'the long arm of the law.' The BJP chief has retracted his 'purification' remark. Congress has recast the row as a Dalit dignity issue, forming a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe forum and extending protests to Punjab. A September 7 'Halla Bol' march to CM Dhami's residence sparked clashes with counter-protesters, and was stopped before reaching its destination. Congress workers also protested in Dehradun on September 7, and Congress MPs are set to meet the President over the matter. The Uttarakhand High Court has dismissed a plea seeking an impartial probe, after the state government assured the court that police are examining CCTV and electronic evidence. NCSC chairperson Kishor Makwana has said the row does not constitute a Scheduled Caste issue and that the commission will not seek a report from the Uttarakhand government. The Valmiki community has separately alleged that the person who filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi over the row falsely used the community's name. The reports do not disclose the specific charges under either FIR, the exact date of the original incident, the current status of the broader investigation, or the outcome of the planned meeting with the President.

What We Know

Bengaluru Police have registered a zero FIR against Uttarakhand BJP leaders.
The FIR relates to an alleged 'purification' ritual said to have been performed after a rally by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara has criticized the government's handling of the case, saying action would have followed had the law been applied.
The zero FIR names the Uttarakhand BJP state chief among the accused, according to Indian Express.
The alleged ritual is reported to have taken place in Haldwani.
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge has criticized the BJP over the incident.
Congress leader K.C. Venugopal called the BJP's alleged ritual "despicable politics," per a September 5 report.
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot invoked the incident to raise concerns about treatment of Dalits, per a September 5 report.
Congress has reframed the Haldwani 'purification' row as a Dalit dignity and social justice issue, per a September 5 New Indian Express report.
Congress has announced a protest march to the CM's residence on September 7 over the Haldwani purification row.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal criticized BJP over the alleged purification ritual, calling it 'despicable politics.'
Congress has framed the Haldwani purification ritual row as a Dalit dignity and social justice issue, according to a September 5 New Indian Express report.
Uttarakhand BJP chief has retracted his 'purification' remark following the zero FIR, according to a September 5 Times of India report.
Karnataka police will forward the zero FIR to Uttarakhand police for further investigation, per a September 5 businessaajkal.com report.
Congress's Dalit MPs are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the ritual controversy, per a September 5 Indian Express report.
A Union Minister has publicly called the 'purification' ritual wrong and demanded action, per a September 5 TheWire.in report.
AICC Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja met party leaders ahead of the September 7 gherao of CM Dhami's residence.
The Uttarakhand High Court has disposed of a PIL over the 'purification' ceremony, saying police should be allowed to investigate, according to a September 7 LawBeat report.
The state government assured the Uttarakhand High Court of an impartial investigation into the incident, per a September 7 New Indian Express report.
Uttarakhand BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha held state-wide protests on September 7, framed by the party as a call for social harmony, amid the ongoing purification row.
Congress's September 7 protest march to CM Dhami's residence in Dehradun sparked clashes.
BJP staged counter-protests in response.
Congress leader Godiyal said the zero FIR names state BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt.
Former CM Harish Rawat observed a silent fast over the 'purification' ritual row, according to a September 7 Statesman report.
Congress has formed a dedicated Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe forum and is escalating its protest campaign over the ritual row, extending it to Punjab as well as Uttarakhand.
The Congress 'Halla Bol' march to CM Dhami's residence was stopped before reaching its destination.
Congress MPs are set to meet the President of India over the 'purification' row.
The Uttarakhand High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a court-monitored impartial probe into the 'purification' ritual case.
The state government has told the High Court that police are examining CCTV footage and electronic evidence as part of the probe.
An FIR has been registered against Shri Ram Sena over the alleged casteist ritual, according to a September 8 ANI News report.
NCSC chairperson Kishor Makwana says the row is not a Scheduled Caste issue and the commission will not seek a report from the Uttarakhand government.
The Valmiki community alleges the complainant who filed a case against Rahul Gandhi over the purification row falsely used the community's name.
Uttarakhand police registered an FIR nearly 29 days after the original protests and political exchanges began.
Congress workers protested in Dehradun over the purification row on September 7
Congress MPs are set to meet the President over the matter
Uttarakhand Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons in the shuddhikaran row, according to a September 8 The Statesman report.
Nainital Police, specifically, registered the FIR against unknown persons over the alleged purification ritual.

What Is Still Unclear

The identities of the BJP leaders involved.
The specific nature of the alleged ritual and allegations.
When the underlying incident and the rally took place.
The current status of the investigation and whether the case will be transferred to Uttarakhand.

What Changed

9 Sept, 01:01 am
Nainital Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons over the alleged 'purification' ritual at Kharge's rally venue, clarifying which police unit filed the previously reported FIR against unknown persons.
8 Sept, 05:50 pm
Uttarakhand Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons in the 'shuddhikaran' row, according to a September 8 The Statesman report.
8 Sept, 04:21 pm
Congress workers staged a protest in Dehradun over the 'shuddhikaran' row, and Congress MPs are set to meet the President over the matter, according to a September 7 Economic Times report.
8 Sept, 03:11 pm
A September 8 Deccan Herald report notes that Uttarakhand police registered an FIR nearly 29 days after the original protests and political exchanges began, underscoring the delay in police action following the Bengaluru zero FIR.
8 Sept, 01:31 pm
The Valmiki community has alleged that the person who filed a complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the purification row falsely used the community's name, according to a September 8 India Gazette report.
8 Sept, 01:31 pm
National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Kishor Makwana has said the Kharge purification row is not a Scheduled Caste issue, and the commission will not seek a report from the Uttarakhand government on the matter, according to a September 8 ETV Bharat report.
8 Sept, 12:30 pm
An FIR has been registered against Shri Ram Sena for the alleged casteist ritual conducted at the Kharge rally site in Haldwani, according to a September 8 ANI News report, escalating the case beyond the earlier zero FIR against Uttarakhand BJP leaders.
8 Sept, 11:51 am
The Uttarakhand government has assured the High Court that police are examining CCTV footage and electronic evidence as part of the probe into the alleged 'shuddhikaran' ritual, according to a September 7 Times of India report.
7 Sept, 10:30 pm
The Uttarakhand High Court has dismissed a plea seeking an impartial probe into the 'purification' ritual row, according to a September 7 TheWire.in report, clarifying an earlier report that the court had merely 'disposed of' the PIL after the state assured an impartial investigation.
7 Sept, 06:51 pm
Congress workers continued protests in Dehradun over the 'purification' row, and party MPs are set to meet the President of India regarding the issue, according to a September 7 Economic Times report.
7 Sept, 06:51 pm
The September 7 Congress 'Halla Bol' march toward CM Dhami's residence in Dehradun was stopped before reaching its destination, according to a Times of India report.
7 Sept, 05:50 pm
Congress has formed a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe forum and intensified its protest campaign over the Haldwani 'purification' ritual row, extending the agitation to Punjab as well as Uttarakhand, according to a September 7 National Herald report.
7 Sept, 05:41 pm
Congress staged a march to gherao CM Dhami's residence in Dehradun, and former CM Harish Rawat observed a silent fast, both linked to the 'purification ritual' row following Kharge's August address, according to a September 7 Statesman report.
7 Sept, 05:22 pm
Congress leader Godiyal said the zero FIR registered in Karnataka names Uttarakhand BJP state chief Mahendra Bhatt, calling it evidence of 'the long arm of the law,' according to a September 7 Garhwal Post report.
7 Sept, 04:52 pm
A September 7 New Indian Express report says Congress's protest march to Chief Minister Dhami's residence sparked clashes in Dehradun, with the BJP staging counter-protests.
7 Sept, 12:11 pm
Uttarakhand BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha held state-wide protests on September 7 in what the party described as a call for social harmony, according to a September 7 The News Mill report, amid the ongoing zero FIR row over the alleged Haldwani purification ritual and Congress's parallel framing of the episode as a Dalit dignity issue.
7 Sept, 11:31 am
The Uttarakhand High Court disposed of the PIL over the Haldwani 'purification' ceremony, with the state government assuring the court of an impartial investigation, according to a September 7 New Indian Express report.
7 Sept, 07:30 am
The Uttarakhand High Court has disposed of a PIL seeking action over the alleged 'purification' ritual conducted in Haldwani after Mallikarjun Kharge's rally, telling the petitioner to let police handle the investigation, according to a September 7 LawBeat report.
6 Sept, 06:51 pm
Congress in-charge Kumari Selja interacted with party leaders in Uttarakhand ahead of the planned September 7 gherao of Chief Minister Dhami's residence over the Haldwani 'purification' ritual row.
6 Sept, 07:31 am
A Union Minister has also said the 'purification' ritual conducted after Kharge's Haldwani rally was wrong and demanded action, according to a September 5 TheWire.in report, marking a second prominent denunciation of the incident.
5 Sept, 11:31 pm
Congress's Dalit MPs are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the alleged 'purification' ritual controversy involving Uttarakhand BJP leaders, according to a September 5 Indian Express report.
5 Sept, 07:21 pm
Bengaluru Police will forward the zero FIR to Uttarakhand police for further investigation, according to a September 5 businessaajkal.com report.
5 Sept, 06:11 pm
Uttarakhand BJP chief has retracted his 'purification' remark following the zero FIR filed over the Haldwani ritual row, according to a September 5 Times of India report.
5 Sept, 04:11 pm
Congress has recast the Haldwani 'purification' row as a Dalit dignity and social justice issue, according to a September 5 New Indian Express report.
5 Sept, 02:00 pm
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal has called the BJP's alleged purification ritual after Kharge's Haldwani rally 'despicable politics,' adding to criticism from Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge.
5 Sept, 12:20 pm
Congress has announced a protest march to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's residence on September 7 over the Haldwani purification row, according to a September 4 report.
5 Sept, 12:20 pm
Congress has reframed the Haldwani 'purification' row as a Dalit dignity and social justice issue, according to a September 5 New Indian Express report.
5 Sept, 11:21 am
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that if such an incident could happen to the Congress president, it raised questions about treatment of Dalits, referencing the Haldwani purification ritual row, according to a September 5 ANI report.
5 Sept, 11:21 am
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal criticized the BJP over the alleged purification ritual, calling it "despicable politics," according to a September 5 Deccan Herald report.
5 Sept, 08:31 am
ANI reports the alleged shuddhikaran ritual took place in Haldwani, and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge has criticized the BJP over the incident, saying 'going against RSS is not good for them.'
5 Sept, 08:31 am
Indian Express reports the zero FIR filed in Bengaluru names the Uttarakhand BJP state chief among those accused in the shuddhikaran ritual row.
5 Sept, 08:10 am
Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara has criticized the state government over the case, saying the delay in action suggests the government did not act per law, according to September 5 reports from ANI News and The News Mill. The reports do not disclose further details of the criticism or any government response.
5 Sept, 03:11 am
Signal detected: Bengaluru Police Register Zero FIR Against Uttarakhand BJP Leaders Over Alleged Ritual After Kharge Rally