Patna 23 August : The recent visit of Bihar Minister of Information Technology Mohammad Israil Mansoori to the sacred sanctum sanctorum of the Vishnupad temple together with the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has provided another opportunity to the opposition BJP to take on the government.State BJP President Sanjay Jaiswal asked Nitish Kumar to travel to Mecca and Madina if he wanted to.
“CM Nitish Kumar has slammed the feelings of Hindus after he sat down with an Muslim minister to the Garbhgriha of the Vishnupad temple.If he is brave enough to visit Mecca as well as Madina.
Are he getting into the Jama Masjid? He was a deliberate move to bring Mansoori into the temple to harm the sentiments of Hindu communities,” he alleged.
MoS Home Nityanand Rai went a step ahead and targeted the Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
He said: “He is a person who believes in the opening of slaughterhouses, whereas we are the ones who pray for cows.Nitish Kumar deliberately picked an Muslim minister under the RJD quota to go to the Vishnupad temple and harm the feelings of Hundu people.”
Mansoori however stated: “It was a great satisfaction for me when I went to the Garbhagriha in the temple with the Chief Minister.
His RJD strongly condemned Rai’s remarks.State spokesperson Ejaj Ahmed said: “Nityanand Rai is sitting in the constitutional position in the nation, but he has used a number of objectionable and demeaning words about the deputy chief minister of Bihar.”
State Minister Jama Khan said: “The country is run on the basis of the Constitution, which permits people of any ethnic group to travel anywhere.BJP doesn’t have any issue, which is why their leaders have been making a hue and cry to draw attention.”
JD-U state president Umesh Kushwaha said: “CM Nitish Kumar is a leader who is a proponent of secularism in the country.CM Nitish Kumar respects every religion.BJP is just playing political games over this issue.”
In the meantime, Vishnupad temple shrine officials protested against the entrance of Mansoori.The shrine’s board referenced the statement that non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple grounds.
Temple management committee chairman Shambhu Lal Vitthal stated: “When Mansoori entered the temple on Monday, we weren’t aware of his religious beliefs.People who accompanied him were responsible for stopping Mansoori from getting into the temple.It has caused harm to Sanatan Dharma and the Panda community.”
“Since the controversy that was created on a the scale of the temple, we have cleaned the temple as well as Garbhgriha with Gangajal, and cleansed the area,” he said.
It is situated on the banks of Falgu river, and constructed of Kasauti stone, Vishnupad temple has great significance and is referred to as a “Moksha Dham”.Based on Vedas and Puranas the temple was constructed on the basis of Lord Vishnu’s feet (Pad).
After performing the Pind Daan in the temple, the deceased is granted Moksha.
The figure of Lord Vishnu can be seen visible in the garbhagriha.
It is believed that God, in a bid to stop the violence of Gayasur the devil placed his feet on the spot in the garbhahriha’s place.
It was restored by the Indore queen Maharani Ahilya Bai in 1787.
ajk/vd
