Purification ritual conducted at Bihar's Gaya temple after non-Hindu minister enters with CM Nitish Kumar

BJP's Gaya district unit conducted a purification ceremony of the Vishnupad temple here amid a row over the entry into the sanctum sanctorum of a non-Hindu minister of the new Bihar government.

BJP district unit president Dhanraj Sharma on Thursday said, "We conducted a 'Shuddhikaran' Puja of the temple premises after bringing water from Falgu river and offered prayers."

On Wednesday, members of the Panda Samaj performed a puja and cleaned the temple's sanctum sanctorum with water from the Falgu river.

The row erupted after Bihar minister of Communication and Information Technology Mohammad Israil Mansuri during a visit to Gaya with chief minister Nitish Kumar entered the Vishnupad temple's sanctum sanctorum.

"Entry of the non-Hindu minister was done intentionally to hurt the sentiments of Hindus," Sharma said.

Sharma said that the minister had gone inside despite instructions put up outside the temple wall that non-Hindus won't be allowed entry.

A complaint was also filed in the Muzaffarpur chief judicial magistrate court on Monday by a social activist against chief minister Nitish Kumar, Mansuri and four others.

Danraj Sharma accused CM Nitish Kumar of insulting the Hindu faith and said that the Hindu community will never forgive him.

"Nitish Kumar knowingly took Mohammad Israil Mansoori, inside the temple. He was there inside the 'Garbhgriha' (sanctum sanctorum) for so long. All this, despite when it is written outside the premises that Non-Hindus aren't allowed inside. This is a complete insult to the Hindus. Lord Vishnu will never forgive him. His political end is near. Because of all this, we performed the Shudhikaran Pooja today," Sharma told ANI.

Earlier, Bihar BJP Chief S Jaiswal had targeted the chief minister for deliberately mocking Hindus and demanded an apology.

"CM Nitish Kumar knows that entry of non-Hindus is not permitted inside the 'Garbhagriha'. He did it deliberately to mock Hindus. It's a part of a conspiracy. He should apologize to Hindus," said Jaiswal

Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister on August 10 after pulling out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and forming a government with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), in an alliance called 'Mahagathbandhan'. He had accused the BJP of trying to destroy its ally parties. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister.

(ANI)

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