SC members demand ownership of Hanuman temples

Scheduled Caste members have sought ownership of Hanuman temples across Uttar Pradesh.

This comes after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remarks terming Lord Hanuman a ''Dalit'' at an election rally in Rajasthan's Alwar.

Scores of Scheduled Caste members stormed a famous Hanuman temple in Hazratganj area in the state capital on Saturday and asked the management to appoint a Scheduled Caste priests and also claimed the temple's ownership.

They carried banners and placards saying that 'Bajarang Bali' (Lord Hanuman) is ''their god'' and so they should be given management of the all Hanuman temples.

''Bajarang Bali temples are ours,'' said Narendra Gautam, a member of the Dalit Uthan Samiti, the outfit, which organised the demonstration.

A similar incident occurred at Agra on Friday, where hundreds of the community's members stormed an ancient Hanuman temple and claimed its ownership.

The temple's management had a tough time persuading them to call off their demonstration.

A Scheduled Caste outfit condemned Adityanath for terming Hanuman a ''Dalit'' saying that the former was a ''monkey'' while the Scheduled Castes were ''human''.

Seers and saints in Ayodhya have also criticised Adityanath for his reported remarks and have asked him to apologise.

''Hanumanji is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. He is a god. Gods have no castes. The remarks have hurt the sentiments of the Hindus,''Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest at the makeshift Ram temple at Ayodhya, said.

Mahant Dileep Das, another seer from Ayodhya, also condemned the chief minister's statement.

''Adityanath should know that he is a sadhu first and thereafter a politician. He may not be the chief minister after five years but he will remain a sadhu throughout his life,'' he said.