On the last day of monsoon session of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan allowed the Opposition to raise and condemn the reported ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ceremony held at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground in Uttarakhand after Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a rally there on August 8.This is the second time the Chair allowed the Opposition to raise an issue. On August 6, Radhakrishnan directed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to convey the Opposition’s demand for a formal statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding police lathicharge on students at the protest on July 20.Kharge alleged that people associated with the BJP carried out the ceremony to ‘purify’ the stage where he had delivered his speech.Responding to the issue, the Chair said that untouchability was unacceptable. “I understand the importance of the issue. Everyone is against untouchability. If Kharge is insulted, everyone is insulted. If untouchability is not a sin, there is no sin in this world,” he said.He said cutting across parties and ideologies, the incident is condemned. “Irrespective of parties and ideologies, we all condemn untouchability and we all are purified. There is no need for anyone to purify us again and again,” he added.The Chair further said that those responsible for the reported incident would face action. “Those who have done the wrong thing will be investigated, caught and punished,” he said.Kharge said that during the rally he did not take any religion’s name and only brought up people’s issues. “After my speech, people of the BJP did a ‘shuddhikaran’”. Is this the way in a democracy? How are you protecting the Constitution?” he said, amid uproar.Kharge said that he did not want to make this a political matter. “I am in the House for so many years, but have never sought sympathy over belonging to the Dalit community,” he responded and also demanded a case to be registered under the Untouchability Offences Act against the accused.Leader of the House JP Nadda also slammed the purification ceremony, saying that an inquiry would be initiated into the incident and action would be taken against the people involved. “What Kharge said, it is truly unfortunate. Not just for the Congress, but for all of us. The BJP does not subscribe to such activity,” he said.Nadda said that BJP national president Nitin Nabin will take this seriously. “We apologise for the hurt it has caused to you,” he said.Members of Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas Sangathan conducted the ritual on August 10, objecting to the venue’s use for political purposes and alleging that controversial slogans were raised during Kharge’s address.Girish Chandra Pandey, a member of the organisation, said, “The venue holds religious significance and should be reserved strictly for cultural events. Ram Lila Ground is meant for religious and cultural events and should not be given to political parties.”