On Monday (6th May), Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo and Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency candidate visited the Siddhapeeth Baba Gauri Shanker Mahadev Mandir in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh to pray before beginning his campaign. However, several youths then cleaned the temple with Gangajal, alleging that Akhilesh Yadav brought Muslim leaders with him who desecrated the temple by wearing shoes within its premises. The youths also said that a sign board outside the temple clearly says entry for non-Hindus is prohibited.
Uttar Pradesh, Kannauj: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav visits Gauri Shankar Mahadev Temple to perform aarti and seek blessings. pic.twitter.com/DsoxDrHtzs
— IANS (@ians_india) May 6, 2024
A video of the several youths cleaning the temple after Yadav’s visit went viral online. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that Akhilesh Yadav was accompanied by Muslim leaders who entered the temple wearing shoes. Due to this, Hindus undertook the purification of the Gauri Shankar Temple with Gangajal.
Akhilesh Yadav entered a temple with non Hindus.
— Mr Sinha (Modi's family) (@MrSinha_) May 8, 2024
After he left, Valmiki Samaj (Dalit) youths washed temple premises as the temple has a rule that non Hindus aren't allowed there.
Shameless INDI alliance ecosystem is presenting these Dalit youths as Upper caste BJP workers. pic.twitter.com/ytGp7TmDgx
Shivendra Kumar Gwal, the BJP city president, claimed that some Muslims and workers accompanying the Samajwadi Party supremo entered the temple wearing shoes and allegedly spat. Gwal welcomed Akhilesh Yadav’s visit, but referred to him as a “electoral Hindu.” Non-Sanatanis are forbidden from entering the temple, as stated on a board outside.
Speaking to the media the youths who cleaned the temple said, “We have cleaned the temple as Akhilesh Yadav came here today. Firstly, he has no sense of how pooja-paath [worship] is performed. Even though it is clearly written on a board outside the temple that non-Sanatanis are not allowed inside the temple, he [Akhilesh] came here with Muslims. And the Gaur Shankar Mandir has been cleaned, Akhilesh Yadav too will be cleaned from Kannauj [in the elections].”
Congress and Supriya Aunty is as usual spreading Lies by Posting just a clip of video,
— Ankita (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Cric_gal) May 8, 2024
HEAR this out , its clearly stated that so called M peacefuls have entered the mandir with Shoes and chappals and spitted everywhere, that was the reason for cleaning. Apna agenda ke chalane… pic.twitter.com/rHYmZzDt8L
The angry youths questioned the SP leader if he would visit any mosque or dargah while wearing shoes and also asked if he finds only Hindu temples to insult.
While the BJP claimed that the temple was cleaned as non-Hindus accompanying Akhilesh Yadav entered the temple wearing shoes and allegedly spat there, several Samajwadi Party leaders tried to stir a caste discrimination controversy.
माननीय राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री अखिलेश यादव जी पिछड़े वर्ग से हैं इसलिए बीजेपी ने मंदिर परिसर को गंगाजल से धुलवाया उससे पूर्व CM आवास को धुलवा चुकी है।
— I.P. Singh (@IPSinghSp) May 6, 2024
भाजपा यह मानती है कि पिछड़े,दलित वंचित शोषित लोगों को हिंदू मन्दिरों में पूजा करने का कोई आधिकार नहीं है।
इस बार यही PDA पिछड़े… pic.twitter.com/LqN5of4d9N
Samajwadi Party leader IP Singh claimed that the BJP believes that backward, Dalit, and oppressed people have no right to worship in Hindu temples. “Honorable National President Shri Akhilesh Yadav Ji belongs to the backward class, hence BJP got the temple premises washed with Gangajal, before that it had got the CM residence washed. BJP believes that backward, Dalit, deprived and exploited people have no right to worship in Hindu temples. This time these PDA, backward, Dalit, deprived and exploited people together will show BJP the way out of power.”
However, he failed to address concerns of the violation of the sanctity of the temple with a retinue of leaders accompanying Akhilesh Yadav wearing shoes inside the temple premises.
