Controversy erupts in Ujjain Mahakal temple as priest suspended for molesting minor girl on premises
Correspondent
NewsBits.in
UJJAIN: Major controversy has erupted after a priest was suspended by the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee for allegedly molesting a minor girl on the premises of hugely revered temple.
The action of the temple committee came after videos, allegedly showing the priest engaged in obscene action with a minor girl, while sitting on his priest seat at the Anandikalpeshwar Mahadev Mandir – a smaller temple on the Mahakal temple premises – went viral two days ago.
The priest, Hemant Dubey, has been an accused in the infamous Prof Sabharwal murder case of Ujjain in year 2006, an ex-office bearer of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and currently office bearer of the MP unit of BJP.
The ruling Congress has hit out at the BJP on the issue. The Congress media coordinator Narendra Saluja has directly questioned the former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the matter.
In a statement, Saluja asked Shivraj to answer as to whose political patronage people like Dubey enjoyed and who were the people who were being found engaged in criminal activities during the current tenure of Kamal Nath government.
“Awaiting your (Shivraj’s) tweet on the people who are constantly challenging the law and order situation in state,” Saluja said.
THE CONTROVERSY
The controversy erupted two days ago after the two videos – one of them with clear face of Hemant Dubey and the minor girl standing very close to him and another of him molesting the girl (though Dubey’s face is not visible) went viral on social media.
The temple committee, while suspending the priest on Thursday also moved an application urging the police to carry out an investigation. The temple administration has also decided to put up CCTV cameras in isolated spots of the temple for added security of devotees.
Meanwhile, Dubey has been quoted by section of media to have denied the allegations and said the videos were made to malign his image. Police have assured investigation.
