The Rajasthan BJP party suspended former MLA Gyandev Ahuja and sent him a show-cause notice after he used ‘Ganga Jal’ to cleanse a temple after Dalit leader Tikaram Jully made his visit. Ahuja’s controversial actions triggered extensive anger from the Dalit population and made the BJP take serious defensive measures regarding their appeal to minority groups.
Ahuja appeared in a recorded clip where he poured Ganga water over the temple after Jully visited the Ramnavami consecration in Alwar on April 6th. Ahuja claimed that Jully’s visit had rendered the temple “impure,” saying, “His impure feet walked in the temple, and his impure hands touched the idols.”
Encouraged by these events Ahuja took independent action the following morning by conducting rituals and using sacred Ganga water to cleanse the temple. The video captured moment of the incident became rapidly popular across various social media platforms to receive strong criticism from both opposition leaders and online users.
BJP Issues Show Cause Notice to Ahuja
In response to the public outcry, the BJP issued a show-cause notice to Ahuja, emphasising that his actions were in direct violation of the party’s principles of equality, which prohibit caste-based discrimination. The notice, signed by BJP MP Damodar Agarwal, warned that Ahuja could face further disciplinary action if he failed to respond within three days. The party’s Rajasthan chief, Madan Rathore, also distanced the BJP from Ahuja’s behaviour, calling it inconsistent with the party’s values.
Congress leaders, including Jully himself, accused the BJP of promoting a casteist agenda, questioning why Dalit leaders were being targeted in such a manner. Jully pointed out that the actions reflected the BJP’s deep-seated prejudice against Dalits and called for a clear response from the BJP’s top leadership. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot labelled Ahuja’s actions as “despicable” and called on the BJP to apologise publicly for the incident.
Gyandev Ahuja Known for Instigating Controversy
The outspoken political figure Gyandev Ahuja is widely known for making controversial declarations throughout his career. Before this incident he had supported cow vigilantes in their investigation of Pehlu Khan’s 2017 killing as well as made strange statements against students at JNU in 2016.
The BJP took immediate action to suspend Ahuja because it wanted to prevent public perception that the party works against Dalit communities. This action demonstrates a conscious effort to oppose the narrative surrounding caste-based policies and discrimination. With elections on the horizon, the BJP is under pressure to present itself as an inclusive party, and the backlash against Ahuja’s actions highlights the potential electoral risks of alienating key voter groups.
