BJP performs 'buddhi shuddhi yagna' for Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) performed a "buddhi shuddhi yagna" in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on Tuesday, targeting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The ritual was conducted by the BJP's Scheduled Caste (SC) Morcha and involved placing Gandhi's picture during the ceremony. The party claimed this was done to help Gandhi and other Congress leaders "attain wisdom and stop spreading lies."
Ritual backlash
'Buddhi shuddhi yagna' follows 'shuddhikaran yagna' row
The "buddhi shuddhi yagna" comes after a "shuddhikaran yagna" was allegedly performed at Haldwani's Ramlila Ground on August 11, three days after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's rally.
The Congress accused the BJP of an anti-Dalit agenda, linking it to Kharge's Dalit identity.
However, the BJP denied any involvement of its officials in the ritual and claimed that the ground was cleaned and a havan was conducted because the Congress rally had left the venue littered.
Political accusations
Rahul Gandhi booked for alleged casteist spin
Gandhi had condemned the "shuddhikaran" incident as an act of untouchability, demanding action under the SC/ST Act.
He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of continuing untouchability practices.
An FIR has since been registered against Gandhi following a complaint by Amit Kumar, a Valmiki community member from Haldwani, who alleged that Gandhi's comments gave a "casteist spin" to the ritual.
Protest warning
Congress threatens massive protest if FIR is not registered
Congress spokesperson Pratima Singh said party workers had been demanding action against those responsible for the Haldwani "shuddhikaran" ritual since August 9.
She warned of a massive protest if their complaints were not acted upon.
"If our FIR is not registered, the Congress will take to the streets and stage a massive protest," Singh said.
Accusations exchanged
BJP responds to controversy, burns effigies of Gandhi
BJP's SC Morcha state president Balbir Ghuniyal, however, accused Gandhi and the Congress of disturbing social harmony by linking the ritual to caste.
He claimed that people in Uttarakhand were unaware of Kharge's caste and no BJP worker was present at the event.
The BJP has staged protests across Uttarakhand, burning effigies of Gandhi at district headquarters.
Congress workers had also protested outside Uttarakhand Secretariat to demand the withdrawal of the FIR against Gandhi over the 'shuddhikaran' row.