A marble foundation stone of a water-cooler inside a temple in Aligarh, was reportedly knocked down, by a group of Bajrang Dal activists on Tuesday, 29 June. Why? Because the the sone carried the name of a local Muslim politician who had donated the water cooler to the temple.
Karan Chaudhary, a Bajrang Dal activist who smashed the marble stone, was quoted by The Times of India (TOI) as saying:
“We cannot tolerate the name of a person from another community inside the temple premises."
The incident reportedly took place in the Khereshwar Mahadev temple in Aligarh’s Lodha.
WHAT IS THE TEMPLE COMMITTEE SAYING?
The temple committee, on Wednesday, filed a police complaint claiming that some 'anti-social elements' entered into the temple and destroyed the stone, as per TOI.
Satyapal Singh, the head of the committee, has sought for a case to be registered and probe initiated in the matter.
AND THE POLITICIAN WHO DONATED THE COOLER?
According to TOI, Salman Shahid, who is the youth wing treasurer of the Samajwadi Party (SP) has expressed shock and said,
“I had announced that I will install 100 water coolers in temples, mosques and health centres across Aligarh. But some people cannot take this positively and are bent on giving communal twists to everything."
Alleging that instead of uniting, such forces were attempting to create divides, Shadi further added, "Like others, we also have faith in the temples."
He also informed that owing to a scarcity of cold drinking water during the summer months, he had installed the water cooler, after consultations with the temple committee and chief priest.
Shahid further informed that it was also inaugurated by Swami Purna Nand Puri, a prominent priest.
(With inputs from TOI)
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