Karnataka cops to forward Zero FIR to Uttarakhand over ‘purification’ ritual after Cong Chief Kharge’s visit

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Police are preparing to forward a Zero First Information Report (FIR) registered in Bengaluru against Uttarakhand BJP President, Mahendra Bhatt, and other party members to the authorities in Uttarakhand for investigation into the “purification ritual” performed at a public ground following AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to the State, police said on Saturday.

The Zero FIR was registered at the Vidhana Soudha police station based on a complaint filed by T.R. Ramappa, former vice-chairman of the Scheduled Tribes Department cell of the Adivasi Congress.

The complaint states that a ritualistic cleansing, described as ‘Shuddhikaran’, was carried out at the Ramlila Ground in Nainital district after Kharge addressed a public gathering there on August 8.

According to the complaint, the ritual was intended to convey the casteist notion that the venue had become “impure” following Kharge’s presence. The complainant pointed out that Kharge, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, hails from a Scheduled Caste community.

The complaint names Bhatt and other BJP functionaries for allegedly defending and endorsing the ritual through media statements.

Ramappa contended that such statements amounted to publicly supporting an act of caste-based discrimination and lending political sanction to it.

Following a legal opinion on the written complaint submitted on August 31, the Bengaluru police registered the Zero FIR under relevant provisions of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police officials said the FIR would now be forwarded sooner to the authorities concerned in Uttarakhand, where the incident took place, for further investigation.

A Zero FIR enables a police station to register a complaint irrespective of territorial jurisdiction. After registration, the case is transferred to the police station having jurisdiction over the alleged offence.

The development came a day after Kharge wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman J.P. Nadda, raising questions over the absence of an FIR in connection with the alleged purification ritual in Haldwani.

Kharge reportedly pointed out that 24 days had passed since the incident and recalled Nadda’s assurance that appropriate action would be taken.

The Karnataka Police’s registration of the Zero FIR is expected to pave the way for the Uttarakhand authorities to take up the matter and conduct an investigation into the allegations.

IANS