New Delhi [India], September 2 : Congress leader Udit Raj was detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday while staging a protest along with other party workers outside the Keshav Kunj RSS headquarters over the FIR registered against party leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Haldwani 'purification' controversy.
Speaking after his detention, Udit Raj said that he had burnt the Manusmriti during the protest and alleged that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was disrespected.
"I have been detained. I came to the Keshav Kunj RSS headquarters... I burnt the Manusmriti. Our leader Mallikarjun Kharge was disrespected, and an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi," Udit Raj said.
The Congress workers had gathered outside the RSS headquarters to protest against the FIR against Rahul Gandhi. Police detained Udit Raj and other protesters during the demonstration.
The protest came after Haldwani City Kotwali Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi following a complaint over his remarks regarding the "shuddhikaran yajna" conducted at the venue where Kharge had addressed a Congress rally on August 8.
The FIR was registered on August 30 on a complaint filed by 26-year-old Amit Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar Colony, Haldwani, and a member of the Valmiki community. Kumar is also an office-bearer of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas organisation.
Police have invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, including Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(u), along with Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Section 199 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, pertaining to jurisdiction, has also been cited in the FIR.
Kumar alleged that Gandhi's remarks hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had demanded immediate registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Act against those who allegedly carried out the purification ritual in Uttarakhand following Kharge's visit.
Gandhi had alleged that the purification ritual was "another name for untouchability" and demanded action against those involved under the SC/ST Act.
"This act violates the SC/ST Act. Performing a 'purification' ritual is a crime. Yet, no action has been taken. Therefore, we demand that an FIR be registered immediately against those who carried out this purification ritual in Uttarakhand," Gandhi had said.