Footage of the ‘purification’ went viral on social media on Monday, purporting to show the former MLA spraying the holy water on the temple premises. He justified the practice, claiming that cleaning the space was necessary because ‘some impure people’ entered the temple.
“I do not want to take anyone’s name, but we all know who was at the temple. Mai apna muh ganda nahi karna chahta hu,” he said. The move sparked outrage and reignited the debate about caste-based discrimination and untouchability.
In an X post, Jully expressed outrage, stating that the statement by the senior BJP leader “is indicative of the BJP’s mentality towards Dalits.”
“I had raised the voice of Dalits in the assembly and talked about running a campaign against untouchability, but the BJP’s mentality is that because I am a Dalit, they are talking about washing the temple with Gangajal if I go to the temple. This is not only an attack on my faith but also a statement promoting a crime like untouchability,” he added.
भाजपा के वरिष्ठ नेता श्री ज्ञानदेव आहूजा का बयान भाजपा की दलितों के प्रति मानसिकता का परिचायक है। मैंने विधानसभा में दलितों की आवाज उठाते हुए छुआछूत के विरुद्ध अभियान चलाने की बात कही थी पर भाजपा की मानसिकता ये है कि वो मेरे दलित होने के कारण मंदिर जाने पर गंगाजल से मंदिर धुलवाने…
— Tika Ram Jully (@TikaRamJullyINC) April 7, 2025
He further questioned whether the saffron party hated the Dalits so much that they couldn’t even see them worshipping. “Do only BJP leaders have the right over God? The Chief Minister and the BJP State President should clarify whether they support the statement that temples should be washed with Gangajal when Dalits visit them?” Jully added.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the action, stating that sprinkling Gangajal in the temple showed the BJP’s ill-will towards Dalits. “Such narrow-mindedness is not acceptable in a civilized society in the 21st century. It cannot be condemned in the strongest words possible. Does the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the State President of the BJP agree with this behaviour of their senior leader? Will the BJP take action against its leader for this disgusting act?” he wrote on X.
भाजपा नेता श्री ज्ञानदेव आहूजा द्वारा नेता प्रतिपक्ष श्री @TikaRamJullyINC के मंदिर जाने के बाद गंगाजल छिड़कने की घटना दलितों के प्रति भाजपा की दुर्भावना को दर्शाती है। 21वीं सदी में ऐसी संकीर्ण मानसिकता एक सभ्य समाज में स्वीकार्य नहीं है। इसकी जितने कड़े शब्दों में निंदा की जाए…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 7, 2025
Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra also criticised Ahuja’s action, saying, “The heart of BJP is filled with ill-will, hatred and jealousy towards Dalits.”
On X, he wrote, “Today, the BJP has sprinkled Gangajal in the temple of Lord Shri Ram in Alwar where Leader of Opposition Tikaram Julie ji had gone yesterday. Be it a Dalit, a farmer, a woman, a labourer… why does the BJP hate them so much?”
भाजपा के दिल में दलितों से दुर्भावना, नफ़रत और ईर्ष्या भरी है।
अलवर में प्रभु श्रीराम जी के जिस मंदिर में कल नेता प्रतिपक्ष टीकाराम जूली जी गए थे, आज भाजपा ने उस मंदिर में गंगाजल छिड़का है।
@TikaRamJullyINC जी के लिए भाजपा के पूर्व विधायक ज्ञानदेव का अपमानजनक बयान और घृणित… pic.twitter.com/cOL9yASyNB— Govind Singh Dotasra (@GovindDotasra) April 7, 2025
Ahuja justified his move, alleging that the organizers invited people who previously denied Lord Ram’s existence and referred to him as fictional. Referring to such people as ‘sinful’ and ‘demonic,’ he further accused Congress of disrespecting religious sentiments. “I will not name them, as I do not want to defile myself again. That is why Gangajal had to be sprinkled,” he added.
In the past, Ahuja stirred controversy with inflammatory statements, like “condoms found in JNU” and “If Muslims pick up one Hindu girl, we will pick up five Muslim girls”.
He also supported cow vigilantism, calling for the lynching of alleged cow smugglers and cow slaughterers.
