Says India Faces Ideological Battle Between Constitution and BJP-RSS
Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged “untouchability” practised against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Uttarakhand, accusing the BJP and RSS of perpetuating caste discrimination and demanding an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Questioning PM Modi’s silence over the controversy, Gandhi asked why the Prime Minister had not spoken out against what he described as an attack on the dignity of a Dalit leader and a direct affront to the Constitution.
Addressing a special press briefing, Gandhi said discrimination against Dalits had persisted for thousands of years and argued that incidents of social exclusion and violence against members of the Scheduled Castes remained a serious concern even after the Constitution came into force.
Gandhi alleged that the incident exposed the “real face” of the BJP and RSS, accusing the two organisations of promoting a mindset in which Dalits continue to face humiliation and discrimination.
“This is not a matter of political disagreement. Untouchability is a crime and unconstitutional,” Gandhi said, pointing to the constitutional abolition of untouchability and the legal safeguards available to members of Scheduled Castes.
The Congress leader cited several alleged instances of atrocities and discrimination against Dalits, arguing that the Uttarakhand episode could not be brushed aside as a routine political controversy. He demanded immediate registration of an FIR against those responsible under the SC/ST Act and sought strict action.
The controversy followed allegations that a “purification” ritual was conducted at a venue in Uttarakhand after Kharge had addressed a public meeting there. The BJP has rejected the Congress’s interpretation of the episode, maintaining that the ritual was a customary religious practice and was not directed against Kharge.
Gandhi, however, insisted that any act rooted in the idea of caste-based “purity” and “pollution” was an affront to the Constitution and amounted to the perpetuation of untouchability.
The LoP’s attack puts the BJP on the defensive over an issue that goes beyond party politics, with the Congress seeking to turn the controversy into a larger question of Dalit dignity, constitutional rights and the ideological position of the BJP-RSS.