Temple purified’ with Gangajal after Muslim MLA’s visit in UP

Members of Hindu outfits and local civic officials sprinkled Gangajal (water from the Ganga) on a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district on Monday in an effort to "purify" it, a day after a Muslim lawmaker visited the shrine, police said.

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Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator from Domariaganj, Saiyada Khatoon, said she was invited by the administration of the Samya Mata temple in Balwa village of Siddharthnagar district to attend an event on Sunday.

But after the Ram Katha event, the chairman of the local panchayat and members of some other Hindu organisations visited the temple on Monday, sprinkled Gangajal, recited the Hanuman Chalisa, and shouted slogans against Khatoon, police said.

"Samya Mata Mandir is a centre of faith for devotees. People throng the temple with dedication that was disrespected by the local MLA. She is non-vegetarian and her visit affected the sanctity of the place," said Dharmaraj Verma, chairman, Barhni Chafa nagar panchayat.