Congress rallies behind Kharge over Haldwani 'Shuddhikaran' row

A political storm erupted in Parliament after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ritual was performed at the Ramlila Maidan stage in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following his August 8 rally. Kharge demanded action under the Untouchability Act, while BJP leader JP Nadda condemned the incident and assured an investigation. Opposition leaders accused the BJP and RSS of fostering caste discrimination.