Guwahati: Congress protests alleged ‘purification’ of Haldwani stage after Kharge visit

STAFF REPORTER 

GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday staged a protest in Guwahati against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), condemning an alleged incident of caste discrimination involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani.

The protest was part of a nationwide campaign by Congress units across the country over allegations that BJP workers sprinkled ‘Ganga jal’ on a stage in Haldwani after Kharge’s visit, purportedly to “purify” the venue.

In Guwahati, the APCC organised a protest rally from the Manabendra Sharma Complex, with APCC president Gaurav Gogoi leading the demonstration. Congress leaders and workers raised slogans against the BJP during the march. However, the rally was stopped by Guwahati city police after barricades were erected to restrict the movement of the protesters. Addressing reporters at the protest site, Gogoi said the demonstration was aimed at defending the constitutional principle of equality and ensuring that every individual enjoys the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

“We have come out demanding that every individual in society is seen as equal and gets the rights enshrined in the Constitution,” Gogoi said.

Expressing disappointment over the police action, the APCC president alleged that the authorities were attempting to prevent the Congress from taking constitutional values to the people.

Gogoi further alleged that an atmosphere of “fear and dominance” was being created to keep political parties away from the public, but asserted that people were no longer afraid and would continue to fight for their rights. The Assam Congress condemned the alleged “purification” of the Haldwani stage as an affront to equality and social dignity, and said the issue would continue to be raised as part of its nationwide campaign against caste discrimination.

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