BJP Leader Reads Hanuman Chalisa in Mosque, Says Cleric Consented

“God has built everything and can be worshipped anywhere,” the mosque’s cleric had reportedly said.

Image used for representation purpose.

(Photo: The Quint)

Manupal Bansal, local BJP leader in Baghpat, recited the Gayatri Mantra and the Hanuman Chalisa inside a mosque after reportedly seeking permission from the local cleric, according to The Indian Express (IE). He also reportedly live-streamed the event on his Facebook page.

Bansal is a member of BJP’s district executive committee.

Police, however, shared with IE that they have not registered an FIR in this case, as the act was done with “mutual consent.”

Ali Hasan, the mosque’s cleric, had reportedly said: “God has built everything and can be worshiped anywhere.”

Similar Incidents, Different Outcomes

Previously, on Tuesday, four persons had read the Hanuman Chalisa at a Mathura Eidgah and were subsequently detained, according to IE.

The police had said that the accused in this case – Saurabh Lambardar, Kanha, Raghav, and Krishna Thakur – had done so after the 29 October incident in which a group of activists had offered namaz at Mathura’s Nand Baba temple.

The police had, in that case, booked all three and arrested one person, charging them with “promoting enmity between religions” by offering namaz.

(With inputs from Indian Express.)