Gaya priest fumed over entry of Muslim minister in Vishnupad temple and for refusing prasad.

‘Hindu sentiment hurt’: Bihar priest fumes after minister refuses to pray or to take prasad in Vishnu Padpadma Temple at Gaya.

During his visit to the temple in Gaya, Bihar’s IT minister Md. Israel Mansoor allegedly refused to offer prayers and accept the offerings too.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bihar IT Minister Israel Mansoor refused to offer prayers at temple in Gaya during his visit there with Bihar CM Nitish
• It has been said that the temple is prohibited for non-Hindus.
• He has hurt the sentiments of Hindu community, alleged the priest.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | Gaya | Aug, 24, , 2022:: har Information and Technology Minister, Israel Mansoor, who entered the garbh grah  (Sanctum Santorum)  of Vishnupad temple in Gaya, did not offer his prayers nor accept the prasad (offerings), given to him by the priests. It has been said that the temple is banned for non-Hindus, implying that only people from the Hindu religion are allowed to offer prayers to the deity at the temple.

Shambhulal Vitthal, president of the Vishnupad Temple Management Committee, while speaking exclusively to India Today, said that the minister must have felt fortunate after having visited the temple but he had hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community by not offering prayer or accepting holy prasad (sacrament). 

“The minister did not offer prayer nor did he accept the prasad which clearly shows that he had some other intentions while visiting the temple. Nitish Kumar should act against the minister and sack him from the cabinet”, Shambhulal Vitthal demanded.

The Muslim minister entered the Vishnupad Temple at Gaya violating the prohibitory norms while accompanying Bihar CM Nitish Kumar during his visit on Aug, 22  in the revered Hindu Temple before Pitrupaksha mela.

Then CM tweeted, “Today, in Gaya took stock of various places of Pitrupaksha Mela area. Offering prayers at Vishnupad temple prayed for happiness, peace and prosperity of the state. Inspected Devghat and inquired about the progress of the rubber dam project.”

__Agencies.