The district unit of the Congress Prachar Samiti will stage a silent protest march in Kalaburagi on Saturday, condemning the alleged ‘purification’ ritual performed at a venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s address at a Congress rally on August 8.

Samiti vice-president Mahantesh Kaulagi, addressing a press conference here on Friday, described the purification ritual as a casteist and humiliating act that allegedly reflects the persistence of discriminatory practices against Dalits and other oppressed sections of society.

According to reports, a purification ceremony was conducted at the Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani after Mr. Kharge addressed a public meeting there. He expressed that the incident should not be viewed merely as a political controversy, but in the larger context of the continuing struggle against caste discrimination, untouchability and social exclusion.

Mr. Kaulagi said the alleged incident had deeply hurt the sentiments of Dalits and other oppressed communities, who had fought for decades for dignity, equality and social justice. Such incidents amounted to an insult to the self-respect of communities that had suffered discrimination and untouchability.

Mr. Kaulagi said members of the samiti, along with representatives and workers of various wings of the District Congress Committee, would participate in the silent march, which will begin at the Congress office and proceed to the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Town Hall, where the protesters will assemble and register their opposition to caste-based discrimination.

The samiti members also recalled the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R. Ambedkar in the fight against untouchability and caste oppression, and said the silent march would reaffirm the constitutional commitment to equality, fraternity and human dignity.