Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has condemned the reported ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ceremony conducted at the venue of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s public meeting in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, describing it as a “disgraceful act” and “an affront to the Constitution”.
In a statement, Shivakumar said on Thursday that the incident was “not merely an insult to one individual but a direct assault on the values enshrined in our Constitution and an ugly reminder of the caste prejudices that have no place in modern India”.
Calling Kharge “one of the country’s most respected statesmen and a lifelong public servant,” the Chief Minister said the suggestion that a public place required “purification” because it had been addressed by a Dalit leader amounted to “unambiguous caste discrimination”.
“It demeans not only Mallikarjun Kharge avaru but every Indian who believes in equality, fraternity and human dignity,” he added.
Shivakumar said that untouchability was “not a matter of opinion but a constitutional crime and a moral disgrace,” adding that those attempting to legitimise such practices were attacking the very foundations of the Republic envisioned by B.R. Ambedkar and the framers of the Constitution.
“India cannot and must not tolerate the revival of such medieval prejudices in public life. Every citizen, irrespective of caste, is entitled to equal dignity and equal respect. Any attempt to normalise or justify such acts must be rejected unequivocally,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with Kharge, the Chief Minister said that he stood firmly with the Congress President and called upon all democratic forces to speak out against the incident.
“Silence in the face of such discrimination only emboldens those who seek to divide our society. We must reaffirm our unwavering commitment to an India founded on equality, justice and the constitutional promise of dignity for all,” Shivakumar added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue and Sports Minister, G. Parameshwara, also condemned the alleged “purification” ritual conducted at a venue in Uttarakhand after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge visited the site, describing the incident as evidence that “caste discrimination and untouchability continue to persist in the country”.
(IANS)
