8 min readDehradunSep 7, 2026 06:57 AM IST First published on: Sep 7, 2026 at 06:57 AM ISTAn ex-VHP functionary, a former BPO employee, a young B.Com graduate – these are some of the office-bearers of the Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, the Haldwani outfit at the centre of the controversy over a “shuddhikaran (purification)” ritual performed at the town’s Ramlila Maidan after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally there last month.Formally registered only in early 2026, the Nyas is described by its office-bearers as a “voluntary” organisation. Secretary Ramjee Awasthi puts its numbers at about seven registered members and office-bearers, 11 active workers and around 45 volunteers, and says the Nyas depends for its finances on contributions by members and donations.