Ahwa (Gujarat), Jun 9 (IANS): BJP MLA from Gujarat's Dangs, Vijay Patel has been sacked from the Shabridham temple trust. Trustees, however, in the official letter, have not given any satisfactory reason for his removal.

But, in a telephonic conversation with IANS, one of the trustees, Kishor Gavit said, "Patel took Christian community members into the temple on June 6. It is against the rules of the temple trust, so this harsh action is taken against him. Vijay Patel was accompanying former tribal development minister Ganpatsinh Vasava, with whom three to four Christians were present in the Garbh dwar of the temple."

Gavit told IANS that the motive behind building the Shabridham temple is to stop conversion of tribals to christianity. It was built in the memory of Ramayan's Shabri, the tribal woman, who fed Lord Ram berries. The temple was constructed in 2004, it is said that Shabri lived here during Ramayana time.

"It is a baseless allegation against me. I have not taken any Christian into the temple, there is no such reason given in the sacking letter addressed to me, but I respect the temple trust's decision," said Vijay Patel, former trustee of the temple and Dangs MLA.

Vijay Patel is associated with the party for two decades, he had won assembly elections on party symbol in 2007 from Dangs, but lost to Congress candidates in 2012 and 2017. After Congress MLA Mangal Gavit resigned in 2020 and joined BJP, in November 2020 by-elections, Vijay Patel won the elections with a margin of 60,095 votes. It is said that in this election, Christians and churches had extended support to the ruling party candidate Vijay Patel.