Nitin Nabin terms row over ‘shuddhikaran’ a ‘divisive conspiracy’ by Congress
BJP leader Nitin Nabin has condemned the Congress party for criticizing a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ritual performed at a rally venue used by Mallikarjun Kharge. The controversy centers on allegations of caste-based discrimination and political exploitation of religious symbols.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing political tensions regarding caste, religion, and secularism in Indian electoral politics.
Calling it a “divisive conspiracy”, BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Tuesday (September 9, 2026) launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for allegedly creating controversy surrounding the “shuddhikaran” (purification) ritual performed at the rally venue of Mallikarjun Kharge.
Addressing the BJP State working committee meeting in Haldwani, Mr. Nabin said, “From this very soil of Haldwani, the Congress national president played a political game and hatched a conspiracy which reflects his divisive politics and divisive thinking.”
He further alleged that slogans associated with a particular religion were raised from the “sacred land” where the purification was performed. He accused Congress of trying to exploit the episode for political gains.
Congress president Mr. Kharge addressed a rally in Haldwani on August 8. On August 11, members of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas Sangathan conducted a ‘shuddhikaran yagna’ (purification yagna) at the venue.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in