Advertisement
In a contentious incident in Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, members of Hindu outfits and local civic officials used Gangajal (water from the Ganga) to “purify” a temple a day after Samajwadi Party legislator Saiyada Khatoon, a Muslim, visited the Samya Mata temple in Balwa village. The move has sparked tensions and raised concerns about religious harmony.
Khatoon, who was invited to the temple event, faced opposition from the chairman of the local panchayat and members of Hindu organizations. They sprinkled Gangajal, recited the Hanuman Chalisa, and shouted slogans against Khatoon, alleging that her non-vegetarian status and visit had disrespected the temple’s sanctity.
Dharmaraj Verma, chairman of Barhni Chafa Nagar Panchayat, stated that the Samya Mata Mandir holds significant religious value, and Khatoon’s visit had allegedly affected its sanctity. Hindu organizations, including Santosh Paswan, Mithlesh Pandey, Vijai Madhesia, and Promod Gautam, participated in the purification ritual by sprinkling Gangajal on the temple.
Officials, taking note of the situation, mentioned that a police team was patrolling the area to prevent potential confrontations. The incident has not led to any formal complaints yet, but authorities have assured appropriate action if one is filed.
While Khatoon emphasized her respect for all religions and clarified that she had funded temple renovations through her MLA local area development fund, this incident echoes previous controversies in Uttar Pradesh and neighboring Bihar involving purification rituals after visits by politicians from different religious backgrounds. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the need for maintaining communal harmony.
