MAYILADUTHURAI: Strongly condemning an alleged incident of caste discrimination against AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in Uttarakhand, a Congress MLA on Sunday moved a resolution at a Gram Sabha meeting here.
Speaking at the Gram Sabha convened on the occasion of Independence Day, MLA Jamal Mohamed Younoos Y N said instructions had been issued to pass similar resolutions in all 54 village panchayats in the Mayiladuthurai Assembly constituency.
According to the MLA, after Kharge, a prominent Dalit leader, addressed a public gathering in Uttarakhand recently, people allegedly affiliated with the RSS and BJP washed the venue with Ganga water to "purify" it.
"We strongly condemn this act," the MLA said during the meeting.
"He has been a Member of Parliament for multiple terms spanning decades, has served as a Union minister and a minister in the state government, and currently holds the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Treating a leader of his stature in this manner merely because he belongs to a Scheduled Caste is highly condemnable," he said.
The legislator said the Congress had historically stood for equality and that the alleged incident in Uttarakhand was not merely an insult to the party president but an affront to citizens across the country.
"Our nation's freedom was fought for by leaders who believed in equality across caste and religion. This action exposes a discriminatory ideology," he said.
The Gram Sabha meeting also saw discussions on local civic issues, with residents questioning officials about irregularities in drinking water supply, maintenance of water tanks and delays in garbage clearance in the wards.