A new political storm erupted in the state of Bihar after CM Nitish Kumar took a Muslim minister from his Cabinet to a temple in Gaya which bars entry of non-Hindus. Kumar offered prayers at Gaya’s iconic Vishnupad temple on Monday, escorted by Mohd Israil Mansuri, a cabinet member from his new ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
According to the reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated that Kumar had deliberately insulted the Hindu community by taking along a Muslim Minister to an old temple where entry of people of other faiths is prohibited. ”We demand a public apology from the chief minister. Can he think of setting his foot inside Mecca? Why must Hindus always adjust their religious sensibilities in the name of tolerance”, said Bihar BJP President Sanjay Jaiswal.
He added that if the CM failed to apologize for the incident, he shall be ready to face severe protests by the BJP workers in the state and elsewhere including the state assembly. However, the temple authorities stated that they were not aware of the Muslim Minister’s entry inside the temple but notice outside the temple gate clearly states that ‘only those believing in Sanatana Dharma’ would be allowed in the temple. The temple has formed a committee to look into the incident.
BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul also condemned the incident and said that it was a heretic act of Mansuri to enter the temple. “When it is clearly mentioned that non-Hindus are prohibited from entering the temple, how did he do that? CM Nitish Kumar is answerable for it. He has hurt the sentiments of Hindu community and insulted the temple”, he was quoted.
Further, Nikhil Anand, the national general secretary of the BJP’s OBC wing and spokesperson of Bihar BJP alleged that the state CM never believed in Hindu religious texts and never followed the Hindu traditions. “The way Nitish Ji has deliberately tried to pollute the temple premises by breaking the ancient religious norms as well as rules and regulations, he must apologize to the Hindu faith and all those who believe in Sanatan Dharma globally. If Nitish Kumar Ji is suffering from secular-itis, he should better go to Mecca and Madina to offer Namaz”, he said.
Meanwhile, Mansuri, a Pasmanda Muslim who holds the Information Technology portfolio in the current Bihar cabinet said that he felt blessed after he visited the temple with CM Nitish Kumar. ”I feel blessed to have got the opportunity for a darshan of the temple with the honorable chief minister”, he said.
