Jaipur: The BJP in Rajasthan has suspended its former MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja who to “purify” had sprinkled Gangajal in a Ram temple in Alwar after the visit of leader of opposition Tikaram Julie on Ramnavmi. A show cause notice has been served to Ahuja as well to clear his stand in three days.
The suspension and show cause notice served by the party state general secretary and MP Damodar Agarwal said “you were granted the primary membership of the party based on your oath of not believing in untouchability and any kind of discrimination based on caste, sex, or religion. Your act of sprinkling Gangajal after the visit of Tikaram Julie has maligned the party’s image.”
On the other hand, the Congress took on streets to protest against Ahuja on Tuesday while, late on Monday night, the name plate outside Ahuja’s residence in Mansarovar, Jaipur was smeared with black ink.
Notably Leader of Opposition Tikaram Julie who is a Dalit face of the Congress party had attended Pran Pratishtha ceremony of a Ram temple in a housing society in Alwar on Sunday.
The next day, former MLA of Ramgarh (Alwar) Gyandev Ahuja reached Ram temple and sprinkled Gangajal in the name of purification as the Congress leader had visited the temple.
“Congressmen who challenged the existence of Lord Shri Ram were also invited to the Pran Pratishtha of Ramlala on the day of Ramnavami, due to which the temple became impure. I have purified it by sprinkling Gangajal. Tikaram Julie is anti-Hindu. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi had sought the proof of Ram’s birth, calling Lord Shri Ram imaginary. Such sinful and demonic Congress leaders were invited here.”
Given Jully’s Dalit identity, the Congress termed Ahuja’s act and political statement as BJP’s prejudice towards Dalits.
Taking to social media platform X, Tikaram Jully said “The statement of senior BJP leader Shri Gyandev Ahuja reveals BJP’s mindset towards Dalits. I have consistently raised the voice of Dalits in the Assembly and advocated for a campaign against untouchability. But the BJP’s mentality is such that they want to wash the temple with Gangajal simply because I, a Dalit, visited it. This is not just an attack on my personal faith but also an endorsement of an inhuman and illegal practice like untouchability.”
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the act, stating in a post on X, “The act exposes BJP’s deep-seated caste bias. Such regressive and hateful thinking has no place in a modern, democratic society. This incident must be strongly condemned.”
This is not the first time Gyandev Ahuja has stirred controversy. He is known for inflammatory remarks, He has also been accused of encouraging cow vigilantes in Alwar as his former constituency Ramgarh is in the Mewat region known for cow smuggling.
