Nepal’s first female president, and had gone to the ancient capital of Mithila for the “Ram Janaki Bibah Mahotsab”, which commemorates the anniversary of Ram and Sita’s marriage.
But despite being accompanied by the Army Chief, her cavalcade was attacked by stones and petrol bombs by members of the United Madhesi Front, The Indian Express Reports.
Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari
The reason? She’s a widow,
Orthodox religious groups at the temple said the visit by a “widow” was an act of sacrilege and “purified” the shrine by washing it with water from the Ganga Sagar Pond, which is considered sacred.
The priest at the temple termed the actions by right wing forces, who also vandalised temple premises, as unfortunate, But Madhesi groups expressed anger at the priest, Mahanta Ramtapeshwor Das Baishnab, for allegedly inviting the president, reported The Kathmandu Post.
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A similar event was witnessed in India in 1979, when the temple premises at Kashi was cleaned with water from the river Ganga after Babu Jagjivanram’s visit, since he was from a lower caste.
