Cow urine sprinkled to ‘purify’ Maharashtra's Nageshwar temple after Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar’s Mahashivaratri visit

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Members of right-wing organisations triggered a row by sprinkling cow urine inside the Nageshwar temple premises after Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar visited the temple on the occasion of Mahashivaratri on Sunday. They claimed that Sattar's visit had made the shrine "impure", and it needed "purification".Abdul Sattar, a former state minister and sitting MLA from Sillod, along with some of his close aides, as an annual affair, offered obeisance at the temple on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. His visit this year, however, triggered objections from a section of local youths.Soon after the MLA left the temple premises, a group of youths gathered outside and raised objections to his entry. They allegedly sprinkled cow urine inside the premises as part of what they described as a cleansing ritual to restore the sanctity of the temple. They claimed that Sattar regularly consumes non-vegetarian food, and argued that such a person should not have entered the temple, especially on an auspicious occasion like Maha Shivaratri. They added that their actions were aimed at preserving religious traditions and the sanctity of the shrine.The development snowballed into a controversy. Tushar Bhosale, the chief of a spiritual outfit, questioned Sattar's temple visit and asked, "Has Abdul Sattar accepted Hinduism? If not, he should have taken darshan from outside." Bhosale added, "Our temples are not monuments. There are certain religious rules for entering temples, especially the sanctum sanctorum. If you are keen on offering prayers, first accept Hinduism and then seek the blessings of our deities."Shiv Sena (UBT) politician Ambadas Danve, however, defended Sattar. "Be it a temple or a mosque, these are public places. Who is Tushar Bhosale to dictate terms — has he become a Shankaracharya?" Danve asked.He further stated that if a Muslim visits a temple for darshan, it should be welcomed rather than opposed. Accusing BJP of narrowing the scope of the Hindu religion, Danve said Hinduism is broad and inclusive and should not be made restrictive for political purposes.Despite repeated attempts, MLA Abdul Sattar could not be reached for his comments on the issue.