Chicago [US], September 1 : Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) Chairman Sam Pitroda, following the registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Haldwani 'purification' row, backed LoP by describing him as the "key" to articulating the Congress party's vision for India.
Pitroda further launched a scathing attack on the Central government, alleging that independent institutions have been intimidated by the "centralisation of power."
"Rahul Gandhi has come out very strong as a solid person with intellectual capacity, tenacity, courage, and conviction and to me he is the key to articulating the idea of India that the Congress party has.," Pitoda told ANI.
The IOC Chairman expressed deep concern over the state of India's democratic framework, claiming that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has concentrated too much power, thereby stifling the independence of various constitutional and investigative bodies.
"We have weakened our institutions by centralising too much of our power in the Prime Minister's Office. So, the judiciary, the election commission, the ED, the income tax office, and local police are all afraid to have an independent approach because if they take any action against the government, they will be harassed," Pitroda alleged.
He further suggested that the lack of institutional autonomy has left the country without effective checks and balances.
"We don't have real watchdogs in the society," he added.
This came after Uttarakhand's Haldwani City Kotwali Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, following a complaint regarding his public statements about a purification ritual (shuddhikaran yajna) in Haldwani.
The FIR was registered on August 30 on a complaint by Amit Kumar, a member of the Valmiki community, who alleged that Rahul Gandhi's remarks hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community. Police invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(u) along with Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
On August 8, Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a political rally at Haldwani's Ramlila Maidan. Two days later, members of a right-wing group, Shri Ram Sena, reportedly conducted a havan and sprinkled gangajal at the venue stage as part of what they described as a "purification" exercise.
The incident triggered a sharp political reaction from the Congress, which condemned the act and alleged that it reflected an "anti-Dalit mindset". The party also termed the incident a violation of constitutional protections against untouchability.
Kharge subsequently raised the issue in Parliament and demanded that those responsible for the alleged act be arrested and booked under the Untouchability (Offences) Act.