BJP leader sprinkles Gangajal in Rajasthan temple after Opposition leader Tikaram Jully’s visit, slammed for ‘mentality towards Dalits’

Ahuja expressed his “strong objection” to Jully’s visit, saying that Jully is “anti-Hindutva” and “anti-Sanatan”. During Jully’s visit, Ahuja said, “He should be ashamed. He should cut his nose and dip it in a bowl of water. I wouldn’t use the word boycott, as it is Lord Shri Ram’s temple, but I will go and – his impure feet which will land there and hands which will touch the idols – I will go there tomorrow and sprinkle Gangajal and pray to Lord Shri Ram, this is my resolve.”

Ahuja, the former MLA from Alwar’s Ramgarh, went to the temple on Monday and sprinkled Gangajal inside. Later, he said Sunday’s consecration ceremony had some “visangati” (error) as “those who challenged the existence of Lord Ram were invited”. He referred to the invited Congress leaders as “sinners and demons”.

“Mandiron ko apavitra mat karo (Don’t desecrate temples). This is a Lord Shri Ram temple at whose feet I have sprinkled Gangajal. Why Gangajal? Because some impure people came.” Asked about Jully, he said, “I won’t make my mouth dirty or impure by taking their names, jo bhi honge (whoever that might be).”

Responding to the Ahuja’s actions, Jully said, “The statement of senior BJP leader Shri Gyandev Ahuja is indicative of the BJP’s mentality towards Dalits. I had raised the voice of Dalits in the Assembly and talked about running a campaign against untouchability, but the BJP’s mentality is that because I am a Dalit, they are talking about washing the temple with Gangajal if I go to the temple. This is not only an attack on my personal faith but also a statement promoting a crime like untouchability.”

The Congress party, meanwhile, announced a protest in all the district headquarters on Tuesday.

“Does the BJP hate Dalits so much that it cannot even see us performing puja? Do only BJP leaders have the right over God? The Chief Minister (Bhajan Lal Sharma) and the BJP state president (Madan Rathore) should clarify whether they support the statement that temples should be washed with Gangajal when Dalits visit them” Jully said.

Jully is a three-time MLA from Alwar Rural, having been elected in 2008, 2018 and 2023, and is considered close to Congress general secretary and former Union minister Jitendra Singh. Before becoming an MLA, he was Alwar Zila Pramukh in 2005-08. In February 2016, he was appointed Alwar District Congress Committee president.

He was then appointed as a Minister of State and given multiple portfolios in the third Ashok Gehlot government (2018-23), before being promoted as Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment as well as Jails in November 2021. Ahuja, who has roots in the RSS, is also a three-time MLA, from Alwar’s Ramgarh, and was last elected in 2013.

Former CM Gehlot, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra, and several other Congress MLAs, leaders and workers lashed out at Ahuja over his actions. Gehlot said that Ahuja’s actions “show the ill-will of BJP towards Dalits”.

“Such narrow-mindedness is not acceptable in a civilised society in the 21st century. It cannot be condemned enough. Does the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the state president of BJP agree with this behaviour of their senior leader? Will BJP take action against its leader for this disgusting act?” Gehlot asked.

Dotasra said, “The heart of BJP is filled with ill-will, hatred and jealousy towards Dalits… The insulting statement and disgusting act of former BJP MLA Gyandev towards Tika Ram Jully ji is highly condemnable. Be it a Dalit, a farmer, a woman, a labourer… why does the BJP hate them so much?”

However, the BJP has distanced itself from Ahuja’s actions. Party spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj said, “BJP doesn’t believe in such things. Ahuja himself is responsible for what he has said.”