NEW DELHI: Confrontation hit Parliament Street police station Tuesday after a group of Congress SC/ST MPs petitioned police for an FIR for the “untouchability-purification” committed against party president Mallikarjun Kharge, but cops refused to file the case. After three hours of deadlock, police informed the delegation that Haldwani police has registered an FIR and provided a copy of it, after which the Congress delegation departed.The police complaint was submitted after MPs failed to get an invite from the President despite a request for a meeting.The 37-member delegation included MPs Kodikunnil Suresh, Karamvir Baudh, Sasikanth Senthil, Saptgiri Ulaka, Varsha Gaikwad, Gowaal Padavi, Christopher Tilak, Balram Naik, Vamsi Gaddam, Shyamkumar Barve, Saleng Sangma, and AICC Dalit department managers K Raju and Rajendra Pal Gautam.
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Signed by Congress MP Mallu Ravi, the complaint sought action against the identified persons in the Haldwani case while alleging BJP’s involvement in the act, which, it said, has hurt Dalits in the country and internationally. It said the “purification” of the rally venue after Kharge’s public meeting demonstrated practice of “untouchability” which is a violation of the Constitution, and a crime under the penal code, the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.“The acts of the accused are prejudicial to the unity and integrity of the country and promote social discrimination. Their criminal acts have spread the message in society that persons belonging to the SCs are considered inferior and impure, which is contrary to the spirit of abolition of untouchability enshrined in Article 17 of the Constitution,” the complaint said.