'Suddhikaran another name for untouchability': Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP, RSS of discrimination against Kh - The Times of India

**Suddhikaran Another Name for Untouchability, Says Rahul Gandhi as He Calls for FIR Over “Purification” Ritual at Kharge Rally**

*NEW DELHI* – In a sharply worded address at a rally for Congress leader Ram Chandra Kharge in Uttarakhand, senior party figure Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of perpetuating caste‑based discrimination. Referring to a “purification” ceremony performed by local BJP cadres on the venue of Kharge’s gathering, Gandhi said the practice was essentially “suddhikaran – another name for untouchability” and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene to ensure a criminal complaint be lodged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The ritual, which involved the sprinkling of holy water and chants by party workers, was defended by Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Jain, who described it as a “cultural tradition” meant to “cleanse the environment” and insisted it was not directed at any community. Jain’s remarks drew swift criticism from opposition leaders, who argued that the act singled out a Dalit‑led rally and echoed historic practices used to ostracise lower‑caste groups. The Hindu and other national dailies reported that several Congress members on the ground protested the ceremony, calling it a blatant violation of constitutional guarantees of equality.

Responding to the controversy, Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Modi to order the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against those responsible for the “purification” and to ensure that the perpetrators face the full force of the SC/ST Act. He reiterated that such incidents undermine India’s democratic fabric and must be met with swift legal action. The BJP, while maintaining that no law was broken, has yet to comment on the call for an FIR, leaving the matter poised for further political and legal scrutiny.