A day after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs filed a complaint with Delhi police for ‘disrespecting the Shivling’, Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday alleged that a “sin” has been committed by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena by installing ‘shivlings’ as fountains in a public space, and sought his apology from the nation.
Speaking to media after inspection of work being done to beautify roads for the G20 Summit that is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10, he said, “A sin has been committed by installing shivlings as fountains in a public place. God will never forgive him.”
“We offer holy water to a shivling, the symbol of Lord Shiva. It belongs in temples and homes and not in public places… LG should apologise to the nation over this,” he added.
The Delhi minister also alleged that the BJP was “silent” after knowing that the shivling fountains were installed under beautification work being overseen by the LG.
“Three days ago, BJP was asking to file an FIR against (AAP leader) Atishi but when they came to know that this was done by Delhi L-G, they are silent now,” Bharadwaj said.
“BJP’s silence on the matter exposes its sham of being a ‘thekedar’ of Hindu religion,” he charged.
Meanwhile, L-G Saxena countered the charge of the ‘shivling’ saying that those are “art pieces”.
“Those are art pieces made by an artisan from Rajasthan, not ‘shivling’. Ours is a unique country where rivers and trees are worshipped. If someone sees ‘shivling’ in it (‘shivling-shaped’ fountains), then it is very good; I have no objection to it, but there should be no controversy…,” Saxena said, as quoted by ANI.
On Friday, seven AAP MLAs wrote to the Special Commissioner, Delhi Police, asking that action be taken against L-G VK Saxena and other government officials for “disrespecting the Shivling”, reported The Indian Express.
They said that the ‘Shivlings’ were placed near the airport, and had hurt religious sentiments.
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, “We filed a complaint with Delhi Police in this matter. Additionally, we have also demanded action against the L-G… Since our Constitution has provisions against hurting religious sentiments, if necessary, we can also file a case against the L-G for offending religious feelings.”