Temple 'purified' with Gangajal after Muslim MLA's visit in UP
Hindu outfits and local officials in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district on Monday reportedly sprinkled Gangajal (Ganga River's water) in a temple to "purify" it after Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Saiyada Khatoon's visit. The Muslim MLA from Domariyaganj was invited to the Samya Mata temple in Balwa village for a Ram Katha event on Sunday. Following her visit, the local panchayat chairman and some Hindu organization members performed purification rituals, recited Hanuman Chalisa, and even raised slogans against Khatoon.
Why does this story matter?
The incident is likely to trigger a major controversy in the Bharatiya Janata Paty (BJP)-ruled Uttar Pradesh, as Khatoon is an opposition party MLA. Moreover, this is not the first time for a Hindu temple and right-wing outfits in the state to undertake such purification acts, especially over the entry of women or people from other religions. Similar incidents were reported in the past from UP as well as the neighboring Bihar, among others.
Non-vegetarian's visit affected sanctity: Panchayat chairperson
Barhni Chafa Nagar Panchayat Chairperson Dharmaraj Verma defended the "purification" act, saying the temple is a center of faith for devotees and Khatoon's visit disrespected their faith. He added she is a non-vegetarian and her visit affected the temple's sanctity. Verma was reportedly joined by members of various Hindu organizations during the purification process. Siddharthnagar Superintendent of Police Abhishek Kumar Agarwal stated they are investigating the incident and monitoring developments closely. However, no complaint has been filed in this regard.
MLA Khatoon's response to incident
In response to the incident, Khatoon said she respects all religions and will attend any religious event if invited. She also said that her MLA local area development fund has financed the renovation of several temples. Meanwhile, Domariyaganj Circle Officer Sujit Kumar Rai said the police are patrolling the area to prevent any confrontation. He said that Shrikant Shukla, the secretary of the Ram Katha organizing committee and Pujari Prasad, head priest of the temple, had invited the SP leader.
Temple 'purified' after Dalit BJP MLA's visit
This is reminiscent of the 2018 incident when a temple in UP's Hamirpur was "purified" with Gangajal after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Manisha Anuragi, a Dalit, entered. Residents in Muskara Khurd village said women were prohibited from even touching the Dhrum Rishi temple's boundary walls. Separately, former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Dalit, said in 2014 that the Parmeshwari Sthan temple in Brahmin-dominated Tharhi village under the Rajnagar Assembly Constituency was washed for purification after his visit.
