Author: ognreports

By Akhlad Khan

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) once again has raised the issue of Mathura and Varanasi ahead of the next year’s Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 approaching, the process of controversial statements have seen a huge surge. The latest case is of former Member of Parliament and BJP leader Nitin Agarwal, who has given a controversial statement regarding minorities. In an enlightened conference of Kshatriya Samaj which was organized on Sunday in Sadar assembly constituency, Hardoi, Nitin Aggarwal, who attended as the chief guest, said, ‘We will sort out who to live in India and who does not. Remember only PM Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath can do this work. After Ayodhya and Kashi, Mathura is also on our agenda’.

In his address at the conference organized at Dayanand Anglo Vedic College near Pihani Chungi, former MP Agrawal said, “The British formed Gorkha, Rajput, Jat regiments. Why didn’t Muslims form a regiment? At that time India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were together. Have you ever thought about it?”

Along with this, he said, “The news has come that in 2023 Lord Ram will be seated in the sanctum sanctorum. Look at the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, the Prime Minister completely separated the city of Bholenath from that mosque and now only Baba is visible. If our deities cannot be established in India, will they be in Pakistan?”

Mathura will undergo historic development under the BJP government, Uttar Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker Nitin Agarwal said, asking who will develop the temples of the holy city if not the saffron party. Addressing a public meeting Agarwal adds, “The BJP won the 500-year-old battle of Ayodhya, and a grand Ram Temple is being built there. Kashi too has been put on the international arena, and Mathura is the place of Thakur ji (Lord Krishna). If the BJP government does not develop the temples of Mathura, then which government will do’” He further added, “We have won two battles, and will also win the third battle as well. Mathura will undergo historical development, and it will be brought up at the international level by the BJP government.”

Earlier this month while speaking to the reporters, Karnataka BJP MLA Arvind Bellad said, “For Hindus, that issue of Mathura and Varanasi is not over. We, as Hindus, feel that injustice was done to our places of great religious importance.” “That should be corrected and justice needs to be done with Mathura and Varanasi,” he added.

Last week, BJP MP Ravindra Kushwaha said that when the Narendra Modi government could repeal the farm laws keeping in mind the protests by farmers, it can also withdraw the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 to pave way for the construction of a grand temple at Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura.

The Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.

The law, however, exempted litigation on the ownership over Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

“The BJP has a clear view regarding Ayodhya, Kashi (Varanasi) and Mathura since the beginning. These three are a matter of faith for us. Our religion is associated with these religious places,? Kushwaha said.

Earlier, right-wing groups had given a call that they will place a Krishna idol inside the Shahi Idgah Masjid, which shares its boundary with the temple, on December 6. Later, the organization has claimed that it will perform a 10-minute aarti of Lord Krishna at the mosque in Mathura and warned that a nationwide protest will be called if an attempt is made to stop them from performing the ritual. However, the administration has denied allowing any such an event keeping in mind the law and order situation, and imposed sec 144 in the area.

Notwithstanding the political gambits, after Hindu right-wing groups shouted slogans on December 6 and demanded the installation of Krishna deity inside the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura, the Akhil Bhartiya Teerth Mahasabha has requested UP government to take strict action against them.

The Akhil Bhartiya Teerth Purohit Mahasabha on Sunday said the Uttar Pradesh government should take strict action against Hindu right-wing groups that shouted slogans on December 6 demanding the installation of a Krishna deity inside the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura.

The mosque is located next to the Srikrishna Janmasthan.

“Stern action should be taken against the organizations trying to start some new programme inside and outside the mosque,” Mahesh Pathak, National President, Akhil Bhartiya Teerth Purohit Mahasabha said in a statement.

He said it will have an adverse impact on the economy of Mathura since the pilgrimage inflow and devotees coming to the holy town could be affected.

Pathak said if the dispute leads to a decline in tourists, then it would affect the priests who are already facing financial difficulties.

As the matter is sub-judice, the courts will have to decide on the issue, he said. Expressing doubt over the designs of the government, he alleged that the right-wing groups were running BJP’s agenda.

A pertinent question which haunts the minds of Hindu organizations, ‘is the BJP is only concerned about getting votes in the upcoming polls?’.

‘This article was first published in Hindutva Watch’.