An unusual act of “re-consecration” of the Ram Mandir in Alwar by former BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja, in protest against a visit by leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly (LoP) Tika Ram Jully, has evoked statewide agitation with the Opposition Congress holding dharnas in all the districts on Tuesday.

LoP Jully visited the Ram Temple to pay obeisance to the deity during a Ram Navmi function on Sunday. This didn’t go well with senior BJP leader and former legislator Ahuja. He expressed his displeasure with the organisers of the function saying, “They had invited those (people) who did not accept the existence of Lord Ram… Who had boycotted Ram Mandir.”

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“This has deconsecrated the temple, therefore I shall give a Ganga-Jal wash to the temple for its re-consecration. Then Ahuja sprinkled Ganga-Jal to reconsecrate the temple.

This evoked a sharp reaction from the principal Opposition party and the leadership in the state as well as at the national level.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC), in a communique on Monday evening, strongly condemned the step taken by Ahuja, calling it an attempt at furthering “hate – politics”.

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, along with Sachin Pilot and the entire state leadership, has deplored Ahuja for his “inappropriate act”.

In response to a call for agitation given by the Opposition party, dharnas were held and effigies of Ahuja were burnt at several district headquarters, including, Jodhpur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Kotputli, Rajsamand and Jalore on Tuesday.

Condemning the “hate-politics”, Gehlot urged Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and BJP state president Madan Rathore to make their stance over Ahuja’s action clear.

AICC General Secretary and ex Dy CM Pilot sought public apology from the ruling BJP state leadership.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP’s state unit has also distanced itself from Ahuja’s move and suspended him from the (primary membership of) the party.

Terming the act of the three-time MLA a violation of the pledge he has taken as BJP’s primary member, the party served him a show-cause notice returnable within three days.