Temples will also come up in Kashi and Mathura, says suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh
Hyderabad, Mar 31: Shrines would also come up in Mathura and Kashi, following the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, due to a "push," suspended Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh has said.
Singh made the remarks during the 'Shobha Yatra' held on the occasion of Ram Navami on Thursday.
"A grand Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya following a push. Similarily, a grand temple will be built in Mathura and Kashi," he purportedly said in a video, which has gone viral.
In another video, the Goshamahal MLA in Hyderabad, administered a 'sankalp' (resolve) to a gathering to make India an 'Akhand Hindu Rashtra'.
The 'sankalp' also calls for "giving a befitting reply to love jihadis" and for protecting 'sadhu', sant' (holy men) and the women of India.
A senior police official told PTI that they were looking into the contents of the Singh's speech and would seek legal opinion.
On reports of Nathuram Godse's picture being displayed during the procession, the official said they were looking into that also.
Following an uproar over his alleged remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed, the BJP had suspended Singh from the party in August 2022. Singh, who was booked over the remarks, was arrested and he later secured bail.
Singh, known for his strong Hindutva views, faces several police cases in Hyderabad, including those related to alleged communal offences.
Latest: Raja Singh's extremely provocative hate speech targeting Muslims during Ram Navami celebration in front of a Masjid in Telengana. pic.twitter.com/0IU5180W5e
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 31, 2023
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Voting underway for local body elections in Gujarat
Ahmedabad (PTI): Voting got underway on Sunday morning for elections to several local bodies in Gujarat, including 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, as per the schedule announced by the State Election Commission.
The elections are being held for 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the state.
A total of 9,992 candidates are in the fray, with more than 4.18 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise.
A three-tier security is in place, aided by CCTV surveillance and deployment of special squads in sensitive areas, police officials said.
The polls are being conducted under revised norms for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations, and required extensive delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
The ruling BJP, Opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have emerged as the key players, while All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is also contesting in several places.
Among notable candidates are former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer M L Ninama, ex-radio jockey Abha Desai, and former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani.
Ninama is contesting from the Odh seat in Shamlaji taluka for the Arvalli district panchayat elections, while the BJP has nominated Bhayani from the Bhesan seat of the Junagadh district panchayat.
Desai, popularly known as RJ Abha, is contesting as a Congress candidate from ward number 10 of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.
Elections are also being held for the first time in nine newly-created municipal corporations, including Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
Counting of votes will take place on April 28.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel campaigned extensively for the BJP.
The AAP had taken the lead over other parties in launching the campaign, with its national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing several rallies across Gujarat.
In a first for AAP, the Kejriwal-led party is contesting around 5,000 seats in local polls.
Other contestants include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Independents.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi campaigned in the final phase, addressing public meetings in Ahmedabad and Bhuj.
In March 2021, the BJP scored a landslide win in the local polls in Gujarat, winning 6,236 out of 8,470 seats across various municipalities and establishing a wide gap with rival Congress.
The BJP had then dominated all six municipal corporations, besides 81 municipalities, 32 district panchayats, and 231 taluka panchayats.
