Lucknow: After openly supporting construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, a prominent Muslim politician has donated a 30-kg brass bell at a famous Hanuman temple here.
After donating the bell at the temple on Tuesday, the day being associated with Lord Hanuman, Bukkal Nawab, a turncoat, who had quit the Samajwadi Party to join the BJP, said he offered prayers there. Commenting on the matter, senior SP leader Ram Govind Chaudhary said, "It is nothing but a publicity stunt. He is hopping from one temple to another to hog media limelight."
Bukkal had given up his Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seat last year to pave the way for a BJP minister to become a legislator within the stipulated six months' period to continue in the Yogi Adityanath government. At that time, he was an SP MLC and was considered close to party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.
He soon switched his loyalty and joined the saffron party. The 64-year-old leader was rewarded with an MLC ticket for the UP council biennial elections in which his victory is certain as there are only 13 candidates, including him, for as many seats.
"My wish has been fulfilled by Lord Hanuman," he said, when asked why he had offered the bell at the temple. During the last Assembly election campaign, Bukkal, a Shia, had caused a stir by saying that he would be happy to see a Ram temple come up at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and would help the cause by "carrying the first brick to Ayodhya".
He had also said he would contribute Rs 15 crore towards temple construction and a 'mukut' (crown) for Lord Ram. Bukkal is also president of the Rashtriya Shia Samaj or RSS, a different avtar for the acronym which is generally associated with the Hindu nationalist group.
"On one of the Tuesdays of Jyestha month (June) of the traditional Hindu calendar, we organised a large-scale bhandara (community feast) at Hazratganj," he said. The community feasts are locally known as 'bara mangal' and are held all over the state with much fanfare.
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