Haldwani, Sept. 8 -- Police here have registered an FIR in connection with the alleged purification ceremony at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting on August 8, officials said on Tuesday.
According to the police, the FIR was registered against unknown persons under sections 196 and 299 of the BNS as well as Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint filed by Congress leader and advocate Anju Arya at the Haldwani Police Station.
The development came a day after the state government assured the Uttarakhand High Court that the matter would be investigated and that all relevant electronic evidence-including CCTV footage related to the incident-would be collected and preserved. The High Court disposed of a PIL by a social activist on the issue following the assurance by the state government.
Haldwani police officer Vijay Mehta said that the complaint by Arya alleges caste discrimination, social humiliation and hatred and inferiority towards a person belonging to the scheduled castes.
The alleged 'purification' ceremony at the Ramlila Maidan after Kharge's public meeting on August 8 had sparked an uproar, with the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, demanding registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those responsible. The party also held protests in various parts of the country on the issue.
According to the police, the case will be investigated by Nainital Superintendent of Police (Crime) Jagdish Chandra.
During the investigation, the police will examine the facts surrounding the incident, the allegations made in the complaint, the available evidence, and the role of the individuals involved, they said.
In Delhi, Congress MP Mallu Ravi on Tuesday filed a complaint at Parliament Street police station, seeking registration of an FIR against Shri Ram Dharmarth Seva Nyas president, Girish Chandra Pandey and 15 others over the alleged "purification" ritual.
Ravi alleged that Pandey and 15 unidentified persons entered into a "criminal conspiracy" and performed a yajna and sprinkled Gangajal at the venue on August 10, two days after Kharge addressed the meeting there on August 8.
Meanwhile, the Congress, Maha Vikas Aghadi and several other outfits took out a 'Constitution march' in Latur city on Monday to protest the alleged 'purification' ritual carried out after a public meeting addressed by Kharge and the registration of a case against Rahul Gandhi for raising his voice against the act.
The march began after participants paid tributes at a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar. It culminated in a protest meeting at Mahatma Gandhi Chowk.
Protesters criticised what they described as attempts to undermine the values of the Constitution and create divisions in society, adding that the incident following Kharge's public meeting was an affront to the principles of equality and social fraternity.
The protesters also condemned the registration of a case against Rahul Gandhi, alleging the action was politically motivated and intended to suppress dissent.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.