PATNA — Union Minister Chirag Paswan has addressed the controversy surrounding a “purification” event at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan, calling social inequality a pressing issue while taking aim at the Congress party’s track record on Dalit empowerment.
Speaking to reporters, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader responded to criticism from Opposition leaders regarding the Uttarakhand event, while outlining his firm opposition to altering the foundational criteria of Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation.
Key Takeaways & Political Context
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Haldwani Controversy & Political Exchange:
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Paswan acknowledged that ongoing social discrimination demands government attention, but argued that Congress leaders—having governed India for decades—share responsibility for structural failures to eliminate systemic bias.
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Incident Background: A post-rally ritual held after Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s August 8 address drew sharp rebukes from LoP Rahul Gandhi, who described the act as illegal untouchability. Uttarakhand state leadership countered that the event was conducted independently by local groups and denied any official party involvement.
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Defense of Constitutional SC Reservation:
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Social Mandate: Paswan underscored that SC reservation is constitutionally rooted in correcting historical social marginalization, asserting that substituting economic criteria dilutes its primary purpose.
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Parliamentary Process: He urged leaders seeking to modify the reservation structure or debate sub-categorisation among Scheduled Castes to bring their proposals before the Lok Sabha for open legislative debate.
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Alliance Perspectives: The remarks underscore varying viewpoints within the ruling coalition regarding the scope and distribution of reservation benefits among diverse SC subgroups.
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