Leaders and workers of the Congress staged a protest in Shivamogga on Monday, condemning a “purification” ritual reportedly conducted in Uttarakhand following a visit by All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Led by Shivamogga District Congress Committee president R. Prasanna Kumar, party leaders and workers gathered at Shivappa Nayaka Circle in the city and raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), condemning the ritual.
The protesters said the ritual was against the basic principles of the Indian Constitution and reflected the casteist mindset prevailing among sections of society. The Congress would not tolerate insult to its national president. This person had been in public life for over five decades, they said.
Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation chairman Chetan K. Gowda, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary N. Ramesh, and Women’s Congress district president Shweta Bandi were among those who took part in the protest.
Published – August 17, 2026 08:19 pm IST