Mayawati condemns Kharge stage 'purification' act, urges RSS chief to take note

Mayawati condemned the alleged purification of a Haldwani stage after Mallikarjun Kharge's rally and sought action. She said the incidents expose caste prejudice and security lapses that demand strict punishment.BSP chief Mayawati on Friday condemned the alleged "purification" of a stage in Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit, addressed a gathering there. She called the incident highly condemnable and deeply concerning, and demanded action against those responsible.She also described Thursday's attack on Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in Nanded, Maharashtra, as deeply distressing and a matter of concern. Mayawati said the Central and Maharashtra governments should deal with the incident with the utmost seriousness and take strict legal action against the attackers.The alleged "purification" took place at Ramlila Maidan in Uttarakhand, where Kharge had addressed a gathering on August 8. Referring to the issue in a post on X, Mayawati said, "The nation was apprised of this incident yesterday through Parliament. This matter is highly condemnable and deeply concerning."She also said the state government should act against the casteist and feudal elements behind it. In the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said people linked to the BJP had carried out the "purification" and demanded that they be booked under the Untouchability Act and jailed. Union Minister JP Nadda also condemned the act, he said. Mayawati further said the RSS chief, who advocates taking away reservation benefits from Dalits who have become somewhat economically stronger, should also take cognisance of the incident and think seriously about it.On the attack on Badal, Mayawati said, "The Central and Maharashtra governments should treat this incident with the utmost seriousness and take strict legal action against the perpetrators." Badal, a former Punjab deputy chief minister, was attacked with a knife and suffered an injury to his hand at a gurdwara in Nanded. Nanded SP Neelabh Rohan told PTI that a Nihang attacked him with a kirpan. He said the assailant had been taken into custody. Mayawati's remarks on Friday focused on the alleged stage "purification" after Kharge's event in Haldwani and the knife attack on Badal in Nanded, with the BSP chief seeking firm action from the authorities in both cases.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 14, 2026 11:17 IST