Former Minister Argaria offers 100 liters of milk at Bagmati near Pashupatinath temple

KATHMANDU: Former Minister Uma Shankar Argaria has offered 100 liters of milk at the holy Bagmati river near the sacred Hindu site, Pashupatinath temple, in Kathmandu, Monday.

Hindu devotee youths organized the milk offering ceremony at Pashupatinath temple. The ceremony attended by former Minister Argaria was held at the initiative of Nepal Foundation on the first week of holy month of Shrawan.

Nepal Foundation President Bikash Kumar Thakur, political analyst Debesh Jha and other Hindu devotee youths were present on the occasion.

Last week, former Prime Minister and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Federal Council Chairman Baburam Bhattarai had linked Hindu ritual of offering milk at religious sites to superstition.

Nepal Foundation President Thakur and former Minister Aragaria also criticized politician Bhattarai for insulting the Hindu faith and rituals at the ceremony. They also warned the concerned against carrying out anti-religious activities in the country.

Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge of the Foreign Affairs Department of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had also criticized former PM Bhattarai for “insulting Hindu faith and rituals” last week.

Politician Bhattarai has often attacked the Hindu faith time and again but has remained mum on the issue of forced conversions into Christianity.