Congress accuses BJP of being 'anti-Dalit' over Ram Temple incident

New Delhi [India], April 9 (ANI): The Congress Party accused the BJP of being 'anti-Dalit' after a controversial incident involving a Ram Temple visit by Teeka Ram Julie and BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja.
A Dalit leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Teeka Ram Julie, visited the Ram Temple on Ram Navami. After his visit, former BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja washed the temple with Ganga jal, as per the post by Congress.
In the video shared by Congress, BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja is seen saying, "Some impure people came, so I poured Ganga jal to purify the temple."
Congress reacted strongly, calling it another example of the BJP and RSS insulting Dalits. They said such actions show the "anti-Dalit mentality" of the BJP.
In a post, the Congress party wrote, "The anti-Dalit face of BJP has once again come to the fore. Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly, Teeka Ram Julie ji comes from the Dalit community. He went to visit the Ram temple on the day of Ram Navami. After this, former BJP MLA and Narendra Modi's favourite Gyandev Ahuja washed the Ram temple with Ganga water. Ahuja says that Dalits are impure. Impure people had entered the temple, so we washed the Ram temple with Gangajal."

BJP का दलित विरोधी चेहरा एक बार फिर सामने आया है।

राजस्थान विधानसभा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष टीका राम जूली जी दलित समाज से आते हैं। वे रामनवमी के दिन राम मंदिर में दर्शन के लिए गए।

इसके बाद, BJP के पूर्व विधायक और नरेंद्र मोदी के चहेते ज्ञानदेव आहूजा ने राम मंदिर को गंगाजल से धोया।… pic.twitter.com/jglDJxkXrt

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 7, 2025

"This is not the first case, people of BJP and RSS have been continuously insulting Dalits. What Modi's close aide Gyandev Ahuja has done is a living proof of the BJP's anti-Dalit mentality. It is clear that the BJP is anti-Dalit, and this is its real tactics, character and face. It is because of the Constitution that BJP people are tolerating Dalits and hence they repeatedly talk about changing the Constitution," the post reads.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also commented on the incident and said it proves the BJP's "anti-Dalit and Manuwadi thinking." He added that the country should be run by the Constitution, not Manusmriti, which treats Bahujans as second-class citizens.
Taking to social media, X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Another example of BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuwadi thinking! BJP has been continuously insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution. Therefore, not only respecting the Constitution but also protecting it is important.

बीजेपी की दलित विरोधी और मनुवादी सोच का एक और उदाहरण!

बीजेपी लगातार दलितों को अपमानित और संविधान पर आक्रमण करती आ रही है।

इसलिए संविधान का सिर्फ सम्मान नहीं, उसकी सुरक्षा भी ज़रूरी है।

मोदी जी, देश संविधान और उसके आदर्शों से चलेगा, मनुस्मृति से नहीं जो बहुजनों को दूसरे दर्जे… https://t.co/ruEXJgPMcf

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 9, 2025

"Modiji, the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by Manusmriti which treats Bahujans as second-class citizens, " the post read. (ANI)