Will Take Action Against Haridwar Hatemongers if Congress Wins: Harish Rawat

Rawat dismissed rumours of fighting within the Congress unit and stated, "I am sure we will ensure a victory."

Harish Rawat. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: IANS/ Altered by The Quint)

In an interview to NDTV, Congress leader Harish Rawat spoke on the Haridwar hate speech row and said that if his party comes to power, action against Hindutva leaders who made genocidal calls against Muslims will be taken “immediately.”

Rawat added that officials of law enforcing agencies, who did not take proper action, will also be investigated.

Referring to the spirituality of the Hindu pilgrimage site of Haridwar, Rawat asked, “Where did these people (Hindutva ‘seers’) come from? Those who said disgusting things, made these calls, who talked of murdering Manmohan Singh, who said things against Gandhi. I condemn the Uttarakhand government for not conducting a proper investigation.”

Rawat’s comments against the three-day-long hate speech conclave came days after Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand, who had organised the event last month, was remanded in the ‘Dharam Sansad’ hate speech case, after being arrested for objectionable remarks on women.

Narsinghanand was sent to 14 days' judicial custody on Sunday, 16 January, a day after being arrested and is the second person to be taken into custody after Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi alias Waseem Rizvi, who was arrested on 13 January.

In a video of Tyagi’s arrest, Narsinghanand could be seen threatening the police saying, “Tum sab maroge (All of you will die),” reports said.

‘We Are One’: Rawat Dismisses Infighting Rumours

Rawat dismissed rumours of fighting within the Congress unit and stated, "We are one and under the leadership of Sonia ji and Rahul ji… I am sure we will ensure a victory for Uttarakhand."

The news of infighting had come to light in December 2021 when Rawat posted a bunch of tweets targeting the party leadership.

He had said, "Isn't it strange? We have to swim in this sea of elections, but instead of supporting me, the organisation has either turned its back on me or is playing a negative role.”

However, Congress was able to rescue itself from another row, by quelling Rawat’s dissatisfaction and making him head of the campaign committee in Uttarakhand.

Speaking to NDTV, Rawat said, "The view of the party leadership is that we need to fight the elections unitedly and we will take the decision on the Chief Minister when we get the mandate to pick one. And Sonia ji will then decide (the Chief Minister) and the party will comply with her decision.”

(With inputs from NDTV.)