On the other hand, Gyandev Ahuja defended his stance by claiming that the organizers had invited people who once questioned the existence of Lord Ram and called him imaginary. He referred to such individuals as “sinful” and “demonic,” accusing the Congress of disrespecting religious sentiments.Ahuja said, “I will not name them, as I do not want to defile myself again. That is why Gangajal had to be sprinkled.”His remarks have sparked widespread outrage across political circles. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the act, stating in a post on X, “The act exposes BJP’s deep-seated caste bias. Such regressive and hateful thinking has no place in a modern, democratic society. This incident must be strongly condemned.” Gehlot also posed a direct question to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, asking whether the CM and BJP State President endorsed the actions of their senior leader and whether any disciplinary action would be taken.Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra also joined the criticism, saying, “Whether it’s Dalits, farmers, women, or labourers—why does the BJP harbor such deep animosity? The people of Rajasthan will give a fitting reply to this mentality when the time comes.”This is not the first time Gyandev Ahuja has stirred controversy. In the past, he has been widely criticised for inflammatory remarks, including statements such as “If Muslims pick up one Hindu girl, we will pick up five Muslim girls” and his infamous comments about “condoms found in JNU.” He has also been accused of encouraging cow vigilantes in Alwar, which reportedly led to mob violence.This latest controversy could have political ramifications for the BJP as dalits make up approximately 17% of Rajasthan’s population—around 1.25 crore people—and 34 of the state’s Assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes. In the 2023 state elections, the BJP won 22 of these, Congress secured 11, and one went to an independent.
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