A controversy broke out in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district after a group of Bharatiya Janata Party workers on Sunday allegedly sprinkled cow urine inside a temple to “purify” it following a visit by Abdul Sattar, an MLA from the Shiv Sena group led by Eknath Shinde, PTI reported.
Sattar, a former state minister and four-term MLA from the Sillod Assembly constituency, had offered prayers at the Nageshwar Mahadev Temple in Rahimabad village on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Sunday.
However, BJP leaders in the area and members of Hindutva groups objected to Sattar’s presence at the temple, alleging that he consumes non-vegetarian food and had thereby harmed the sanctity of the shrine, The Times of India reported.
Manoj Morellu, BJP’s Sillod unit chief said party workers sprayed cow urine to “restore sanctity” to the temple, The Indian Express reported.
He alleged that Sattar eats cow meat and had harmed the sanctity of the temple with his visit.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday described the incident as “unfortunate”, The Indian Express reported.
“Abdul Sattar is an elected MLA,” Shinde said. “He is a patriot and a lover of this country. Such action on the part of people is not good.”
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