Shivling-Fountain Row: Meenakashi Lekhi Attacks AAP, Says 'They Don't Understand Hinduism'

New Delhi: Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi has lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party government for targeting Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena over the fountains shaped as shivlings put up in parts of the national capital stating that the AAP does not have an understanding of Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma.

Simply cutting a stone into a certain shape does not make it a 'shivling’, the minister of state for external affairs said over criticism alleging that the LG had hurt religious sentiments. "People from this party started to claim that LG doesn't know how to respect Hindu Dharma...They started blaming the LG for putting up 'shivling-shaped' fountains. They do not understand Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma because simply cutting a stone or rock into a certain shape does not become a 'shivling'," Lekhi told ANI in an interview on Sunday.

The minister of state for external affairs claimed that the AAP government which had been in power for the last nine years has not done its job and the Lt-Governor had to step in for the beautification of the city ahead of the G20 Summit.

As part of the beautification drive, 18 fountains shaped like the 'Shivling' have been installed at several places in the national capital. AAP has objected to the installation and accused Saxena and the BJP of disrespecting the 'Shivling' and also hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus across the country.

The party demanded action be taken against the LG and that the BJP apologize to the country. The union minister further said that the work in the city had been done by the central government, as the government spent nearly Rs 4,000 crore for the G20 Summit.

On Saturday, AAP minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, all main roads of Delhi had been decorated, roads had been resurfaced, and beautification had been done"I have a very strong belief in God and that God gets you to do things that he wants...These people were claiming that they were the people who beautified cities so on and so forth. That was supposedly their job because they had been in power for nine years in Delhi...In nine years we did not see any progress... The central government spent Rs 4000 crore for G20," Lekhi said.

"A piece becomes a 'shivling' by concentration. But to even blame the LG they blurted out the truth. They blamed the LG and said that they would lodge an FIR. The truth came out that means all work was done by the LG not them," Lekhi said.