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Maharashtra BJP launches protest demanding reopening of temples

Alleging that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government gave more importance to liquor bars than temples, the opposition BJP in Maharashtra staged an aggressive protest demanding the re-opening of temples on Monday.

Symbolically blowing conches in their shankhnaad agitation and defying Covid-19 regulations, hundreds of BJP activists and State leaders participated in protests in key temple areas of Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Solapur districts flouting pandemic protocols.

Union Minister Narayan Rane’s supporters and BJP workers protest against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, outside Mr. Rane’s residence at Juhu in Mumbai, Aug 24, 2021

Alleging that the MVA government was deliberately hurting sentiments of the Hindu community, BJP MLA from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, Ram Kadam also charged that the government apparently gave permission for other religions for their festivities but was refusing to open temples.

“Please bear in mind, we are not advocating crowding in front of temples. But the government can certainly devise a system based on the issuance of online passes for lakhs of devotees who have not been able to offer worship at the iconic temples in Pandharpur and Shirdi. When you can make rules for beer bars, then why does this government dither when it comes to re-opening temples,” said Kadam.

Earlier, a police shield had been stationed outside the famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple to prevent Kadam from holding a protest there

A partner in the coalition government, the Congress hit out at the contradictory stand taken by the BJP government at the Centre and the party’s Maharashtra unit over celebration of festivals and the re-opening of temples amid the looming threat of a third wave of infections.

The Congress said that despite the Modi government’s directives on restrictions on festivities, why were Maharashtra BJP leaders pressurising the MVA government to permit festivities and allow temples to be reopened.