Congress SC, ST MPs to petition President over Haldwani ‘purification’ row
Congress MPs are petitioning President Droupadi Murmu regarding an alleged 'purification' ritual performed at a rally site in Haldwani after a visit by Mallikarjun Kharge. The MPs view the incident as an affront to constitutional values and the dignity of SC/ST communities.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing social tensions regarding caste-based discrimination and political polarization in India.
Thirty-two Congress MPs belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities on Monday (September 7, 2026) decided to petition President Droupadi Murmu over the alleged “purification yajna” held in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani following a rally addressed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In a meeting at Indira Bhavan, the Congress headquarters, the MPs described the incident as a grave assault on the dignity and self-respect of SCs and STs and a direct affront to the constitutional values of equality and abolition of untouchability.
“We discussed the shocking purification incident in Haldwani following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally. We have decided to form a parliamentary forum to fight this at all levels. We will be submitting a representation to the President of India on Tuesday,” Lok Sabha member Mallu Ravi said.
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