NEW DELHI: The political row over the alleged purification ritual at Haldwani's Ramlila Ground following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's rally last month has intensified, with the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha performing a ‘buddhi-shuddhi’ ritual for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Panchayati Temple in Dehradun.The development came as Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal led a massive protest march towards the state Secretariat, condemning the alleged ‘purification’ ritual conducted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's August 8 rally in Haldwani.Accompanied by AICC co-in-charges Surendra Sharma and Manoj Yadav and hundreds of Congress workers, Godiyal attempted to gherao the Secretariat. Heavy police deployment was made to disperse the protesters, while several workers were detained as they raised slogans.The controversy centres on allegations that a ‘suddhikaran yajna’ was conducted at Haldwani's Ramlila Ground after Kharge's address. Congress leaders have criticised the alleged ritual, calling it an insult to the party president and an instance of caste discrimination."The rally happened in Haldwani, and then that place has a suddhikaran and havan. Then, the BJP State President justifies it and says that it is okay.

What else could be more shameless?...BJP is working on the RSS agenda," Uttarakhand Assembly Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya told ANI.The controversy also led to an FIR against Rahul Gandhi following a complaint by a member of the Scheduled Caste community, who alleged that the Congress leader's remarks about the purification ritual hurt the sentiments of the community.According to the complaint, members of the Valmiki community participated in cleaning the venue and conducting the ritual after the Congress rally attended by Kharge and other leaders.Godiyal, along with Surendra Sharma, Manoj Yadav and Congress workers, had also reached Dehradun's Kotwali Police Station on Monday seeking registration of an FIR against those responsible for the Haldwani incident.The row has since spread beyond Uttarakhand, with Congress units in several states protesting over the alleged ritual. Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi have also criticised the incident, describing it as a manifestation of a "Manuvadi mindset" and alleging that it was an attempt to demean a Dalit leader.

The BJP has denied involvement in the ceremony. Union Minister and Leader of the House JP Nadda condemned the act in Parliament, saying the BJP had no association with the organisers and that the matter would be investigated.The organisers, Shri Ram Sena, along with local BJP representatives, maintained that the havan was not conducted because of Kharge's caste. They claimed the ritual was performed because religious decorum had allegedly been violated at the Ramlila Ground.