In Begusarai, Bihar, protests broke out on September 23 over purported vandalism of Shivling and a Hindu temple by hooligans belonging to the ‘Samuday Vishesh’ community, a report published in Jagran said. Angry protesters blocked roads, disrupted traffic, and hurled stones at the police in protest against the vandalism.
In the aftermath of the incident, the demonstrators razed the residences of the individuals believed to be responsible for desecrating the Hindu temple at Khatopur Chowk in Begusarai. A resident of Begusarai expressed, “Last night, a Shivalinga was desecrated. We are calling for a thorough investigation.”
Prompted by the misconduct, District Magistrate Roshan Kushwaha and Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar, accompanied by senior officials, promptly arrived at the protest site to quell the demonstration. Addressing the situation, Kushwaha affirmed that the police have identified the wrongdoers and are on track to apprehend them. “An investigation is currently in progress,” he further stated.
Members of ‘Samuday Vishesh’ responsible for the vandalism of the temple and Shivling: Locals
Local residents allege that members of ‘Samuday Vishesh’ gather in the temple to consume alcohol. They further contaminate the sacred premises by consuming non-vegetarian food near the religious site and disposing of the remains in the vicinity. The locals assert that they had accosted the accused on multiple occasions but they did not heed their requests. They alleged that members of a particular community had gathered in the temple and consumed alcohol last night, causing damage to the deity.
The residents also asserted that they were abused for asking the accused to stop consuming alcohol and meat inside the temple premises. They further claimed that even though the accused had been identified, the police were not taking any action.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh lashes out at INDI alliance over increasing attacks on Hinduism
In the aftermath of the incident, Giriraj Singh, the Member of Parliament for Begusarai and a Union Minister, arrived at the scene and alleged that the district administration and the governing authorities were conspiring to perpetrate injustices against the Hindu communities.
"अब समय आ गया है हिंदू जागो, उठो, देखो"
— Bihar Tak (@BiharTakChannel) September 23, 2023
बेगूसराय में शिव मंदिर के शिवलिंग को असामाजिक तत्वों के द्वारा किया गया क्षतिग्रस्त, 'INDIA' पर भड़के केंद्रीय मंत्री गिरिराज सिंह।#Begusarai #Bihar #BJP | @girirajsinghbjp pic.twitter.com/OzdyiuO9sm
“The district administration is actively shielding the accused and displaying negligence in handling the situation. Upon careful consideration, it appears that the I.N.D.I Alliance is bent on eradicating Sanatan Dharma. We are aware that miscreants were involved in the desecration of the Shivalinga,” remarked the union minister, subtly criticizing the Bihar government led by CM Nitish Kumar.
