Two meetings were held in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad to address the issue of the contentious murals displayed beneath the idol of Lord Hanuman in Gujarat’s Salangpur.
Held at Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s residence in the presence of Swaminarayan saints, ministers and VHP leaders, the meeting aimed at brokering peace.
A news website reported that it was decided in the meeting that the controversial murals would be removed by the next sunrise.
Several Hindu religious bodies demanded the removal of murals that depicted Lord Hanuman at the feet of yogi and ascetic Swaminarayan or Sahjanand Swami at Botad’s Salangpur Hanuman temple.
Initially, the saints of the Swaminarayan sect were not ready to change their stance.
As reported by the Vibes of India earlier, Swami Nautam Swami of the Swaminarayan sect emphasised that Hanumanji had, on numerous occasions, served Lord Swaminarayan. He asserted that the general public need not respond to the threats.
The saints and sages of other sects remained equally firm, stating that the murals depicting Lord Hanuman were disrespectful. Many Hindu organisations and devotees of Lord Ram demanded their immediate removal.
Reports confirmed that the ice finally melted after the PMO instructed all stakeholders to end the impasse.
