Venugopal slams BJP over ‘purification’ of site where Kharge spoke, calls it ‘despicable politics’

KOLLAM: AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Saturday accused the BJP and Sangh Parivar of practising "despicable politics" over the alleged "purification" of a site where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had delivered a speech.

Reacting to a question on the alleged "purification" carried out at the site of Kharge's rally in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, last month, Venugopal said the incident was among the biggest issues facing the country and questioned the BJP's response to it.

"Look at all the issues happening at the national level. Isn't this the biggest issue in this country? Performing 'purification' at the site where a leader like Mallikarjun Kharge gave a speech," he said.

Describing the alleged act as "the worst I have seen", Venugopal questioned why such a practice was being adopted against a Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

"Why have they adopted an approach that shows untouchability even towards a Congress president and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha?" he asked.

Venugopal criticised the BJP for allegedly justifying the act and questioned the registration of an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for raising the issue.

"And on top of that, they are justifying it. An FIR is being registered against Rahul Gandhi for questioning it," he said.

"Please understand that the biggest issue in this country is the BJP and Sangh Parivar practising such despicable politics," Venugopal said.

A political row erupted after some individuals allegedly performed a 'purification yajna' at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani on August 11, following a public meeting addressed by Kharge there on August 8.

At a press conference in New Delhi on August 29, Gandhi criticised the incident and demanded registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those responsible for the alleged "purification".

An FIR was recently registered against Gandhi following a complaint by a member of the Valmiki community in Haldwani, who alleged that the Congress leader had given a casteist interpretation to a "religious ritual" at the press conference.