VHP and Bajrang Dal workers block the national highway and try to set a petrol pump on fire
Team Clarion
JAIPUR – A middle-aged Hindu man was arrested for allegedly vandalising Veer Tejaji Maharaj temple in Jaipur’s Pratap Nagar area of Tonk Road on Saturday. However, Hindutva groups, including Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, attempted to give the incident a communal twist, blocking a national highway and trying to set a petrol pump on fire.
The incident occurred on Saturday, ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Fitr. Timely police action foiled the groups’ attempts to create an anti-Muslim narrative.
Hindutva workers blocked the Tonk Road — a national highway — for nearly three hours demanding action against the culprits.
Ahead of Eid Al-Fitr, the Hindutva brigade wanted to create an anti-Muslim narrative to polarise the society further. But, timely action by the police put paid to all their efforts with officials quickly announcing the hand of a Hindu behind the sordid affair.
Over 20 Hindutva men were detained after an unruly mob attempted to set a petrol pump on fire. Police said the protesters laid a siege to the petrol station and spilled petrol across it. The police swooped on them before they could set the pump on fire.
DCP (East) Tejaswani Gautam said the suspect who allegedly damaged the idol at the temple has been identified as Siddharth Singh (34), a native of Bikaner. According to police, Singh is currently residing in Rajapark area of Jaipur. He was returning to his place Friday night after having liquor with his friend when he stopped near the temple and vandalised the idol in a fit of rage, Gautam said.
“He (Singh) stopped his vehicle and entered the temple. After spending some time there, he lifted the idol and threw it. Singh said that he was disturbed due to financial losses,” the DCP told reporters. Police are investigating whether there were more people involved in the vandalism.
VHP spokesperson Amitosh Pareek earlier said some miscreants had damaged the idol last night which created anger among the Hindu community. “This is an insult to Tejaji Maharaj. We have demanded identification and arrest of the accused involved in the matter,” he said.
Earlier, Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party condemned the incident and urged Jaipur police to arrest those responsible. “Actions like these are an attack on public faith and will not be tolerated,” he said. He called for strict legal measures against those involved.
Congress leader and former state chief minister Ashok Gehlot said Veer Tejaji Maharaj’s statue being broken in Pratap Nagar is highly condemnable. “Such acts against public sentiments and faith are unacceptable. The government must identify and take strict action against those responsible. There should be effective security arrangements at religious sites to prevent such incidents in the future,” he wrote on X.
