The Congress has intensified its attack over an alleged “purification” ritual conducted at Uttarakhand’s Haldwani Ramlila Maidan after a public meeting addressed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, with senior leader Kumari Selja accusing the BJP government of failing to act against those responsible while an FIR was filed against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

The controversy dates back to August 8, when Kharge addressed a Congress rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani. A “shuddhikaran” havan was subsequently conducted at the venue by members of Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas. Congress leaders have alleged that the ritual carried caste-related implications because Kharge is a Dalit leader. 

Selja questions action against Rahul Gandhi

Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand, Kumari Selja, criticised the Uttarakhand government after an FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi in connection with his remarks on the controversy.

Selja argued that no comparable action had been taken against those who conducted the alleged purification ritual. She described the situation as a question of Dalit dignity and accused the BJP and RSS of promoting an “anti-Dalit and anti-Constitution” mindset. She also questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not intervened in the matter. 

The Congress has maintained that the incident was not merely about a religious ritual but raised concerns about caste discrimination and constitutional equality.

Rahul Gandhi seeks legal action

Rahul Gandhi has also strongly criticised the incident, describing the “shuddhikaran” as another manifestation of untouchability and demanding registration of a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against those involved.

The Congress leader has argued that the ritual at a venue where Kharge had recently spoken amounted to an insult to the dignity of a senior Dalit political leader.

The FIR against Gandhi has added a new political dimension to the dispute, with the Congress questioning the Uttarakhand government's handling of the original incident.

BJP rejects caste angle

The BJP has rejected the Congress's interpretation of the incident. BJP leaders have said there was no caste-based motive behind the havan and accused the Congress of attempting to give the matter a caste angle.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the videos related to the incident did not establish a caste connection and accused the Congress of repeatedly using caste-related issues to create divisions in society. (Devdiscourse)

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also rejected the allegation of caste discrimination and said those who conducted the havan were not BJP office-bearers or workers. (The Times of India)

Organisers cite cleanliness and religious concerns

The organisers of the ritual have separately denied that the ceremony was directed at Kharge or linked to his caste.

Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas president Girish Chandra Pandey said the ritual was conducted after garbage was found at the venue following the Congress rally. The organisers also alleged that provocative religious slogans had been raised during the event and said the havan was intended to restore the sanctity of the Ramlila ground. 

Members associated with the organising group also rejected the caste-discrimination allegation, saying people from different communities participated in the ritual.

Congress plans wider protests

The controversy has continued to escalate, with the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee announcing plans to lodge FIRs at multiple locations across the state over the purification ritual. The party has also announced a major protest in Dehradun on September 7, with senior Congress leaders, including Selja, expected to participate. 

The dispute has now developed into a wider political confrontation over caste discrimination, religious practices and constitutional equality. While the Congress is demanding accountability and legal action over the alleged insult to Kharge, the BJP and the ritual's organisers maintain that the ceremony had no caste-based motive. The competing claims are likely to keep the issue in focus in Uttarakhand in the coming days.

A 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh was found dead in her paying guest room in the Mukhani area here late Tuesday night. The girl, identified as Anjali Jatav, allegedly died by suicide.

Anjali had arrived in Haldwani on May 30 this year to prepare for NEET at a private coaching institute. She was staying in a PG near Khatu Shyam Temple and was attending demo classes. Her regular classes were scheduled to begin from June 29.

Police said the room was locked from inside when they reached the spot following a call from her friend. An unidentified young man had informed the friend that Anjali was not picking up her phone. When no response came, the friend alerted others. The window grill had to be cut to enter the room, where Anjali was found hanging from a dupatta.

She was rushed to Sushila Tiwari Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. No suicide note was recovered, but police found a diary in which she had written, “Ek ko chhod diya hai, doosre ko nahi chhodungi.”

The cryptic line has left investigators looking for more answers. Anjali’s family has been informed and is expected to reach Haldwani on Thursday, after which the postmortem will be conducted.

Anjali hailed from Manpura Kolaras in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Her father Raghubeer Jatav sent her to Haldwani following the success of her elder brother, who cleared NEET from the same coaching centre and is currently studying at AIIMS Bhopal.

SP City Manoj Katiyal said the girl’s mobile phone has been seized. Police are examining her call records, social media activity and Google search history. Efforts are also on to trace the youth who called her friend late Tuesday night.

The case has been registered at Mukhani police station. No complaint has been filed by the family yet. Police are waiting for their arrival before taking further steps.

This incident has once again drawn attention to the immense pressure faced by students preparing for competitive exams away from home. Coming to a new city, living alone in PGs, and dealing with the uncertainty of entrance tests often takes a heavy toll on young minds. Many students from smaller towns and rural areas move to coaching hubs like Haldwani, Kota or Delhi with big dreams, but the isolation and academic stress can prove overwhelming.

Local residents and coaching institutes expressed shock over the incident. Anjali’s batchmates said she was attending demo classes and appeared normal in the initial days. No one had noticed any signs of distress, they claimed.

Uttarakhand has seen several cases of student suicides in recent years, particularly in education hubs like Haldwani and Dehradun. The state government has time and again appealed to coaching centres to keep a close watch on the mental health of outstation students and set up counselling facilities.

Police have appealed to anyone with information about Anjali’s last few days to come forward. The investigation is ongoing and further details are expected once the family arrives and the postmortem report is available.

The diary entry has added a layer of mystery to the case. Investigators are trying to understand who the “one” and “other” mentioned in the note refer to. Whether it points to personal issues, academic pressure or something else will only become clearer after detailed questioning and digital forensic examination.

For now, the bustling coaching town of Haldwani is once again grappling with the tragic loss of a young life. As the monsoon clouds gather over the hills, the news has left many students and parents uneasy.

Authorities said they will review security and counselling measures at PGs and coaching centres in the area to prevent such incidents in future.