'Maligned Party's Image': BJP Leader Suspended For 'Purifying' Temple Following Dalit Congress MLA's Visit

Alwar: The Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) on Monday suspended its former MLA Gyandev Ahuja after a video of him "purifying" a temple with gangajal went viral, triggering outrage across political and social spectrums.

Ahuja's act was aimed at "cleansing" the sanctum after Dalit Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully visited the temple during a Ramnavami consecration ceremony.

The BJP issued a show-cause notice to Ahuja, stating that his action “maligned the party’s image” and violated its oath against caste-based discrimination. The notice, signed by senior party leader and MP Damodar Agarwal, warns of disciplinary action if Ahuja fails to respond within three days.

“You took an oath not to discriminate based on caste, gender, or religion. Your conduct falls under indiscipline,” the notice reads.

'His Feet Made the Temple Impure'

For the unversed, Tikaram Jully, a three-time MLA from Alwar Rural, was invited to attend the Ramnavami event at a temple in Alwar. Soon after, Ahuja publicly claimed the temple had been rendered “impure” by Jully's visit, saying, “His feet touched the temple, and his hands touched the deity.”

The next day, he was filmed sprinkling gangajal and performing rituals to "purify" the premises — a clip that went viral and sparked massive criticism.

When questioned, Ahuja deflected by saying, “I have nothing against Tikaram Jully personally. I even wished him on his birthday. But if Congress leaders call Ram Setu fictional, why do they come to temples?”

Congress Hits Back: ‘A Crime Against Dalits’

The Congress party came down heavily on Ahuja’s action as “blatantly casteist”.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called it a “despicable act” and demanded a clear stand from the BJP’s top brass in Rajasthan . Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Ahuja’s behaviour is an insult to Lord Ram himself and that the BJP should publicly apologise.

Ahuja’s History of Hate

Gyandev Ahuja is no stranger to controversy.

In 2016, he bizarrely claimed that “3,000 used condoms and 2,000 liquor bottles” were found daily at JNU.

In 2017, he defended the lynching of Pehlu Khan by cow vigilantes, saying, “Cow smugglers are sinners and deserve this fate.”

He had also infamously said that “anyone smuggling cows should be killed.”

Why BJP Is Worried

Ahuja’s remarks come at a time when the BJP is trying to expand its Dalit outreach ahead of upcoming elections.

Eastern Rajasthan, where the incident occurred, has a significant Dalit voter base. Ahuja’s comments risk alienating this crucial demographic.

By suspending him and issuing a notice, the BJP has distanced itself from casteist rhetoric while sending a message to both the public and its cadre.