Ramcharitmanas spreads hatred: Bihar Minister Chandrashekhar

Patna, Jan 12: Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar on Wednesday courted controversy after he said Ramcharitmanas, a Hindu religious book which is based on the Ramayana, 'spreads hatred in society'. The RJD leader made the remarks when he was addressing the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University. Bihar governor Phagu Chouhan was also present at the event.

 

 

 

"Ramcharitmanas was opposed because it said that the lower section of society becomes poisonous if they get educated. Books like Ramcharitmanas, Manusmriti, and MS Golwalkar’s Bunch of Thoughts created a social divide," the minister said.

 

 

 

“A nation becomes great with love and affection. Books like Ramcharitmanas, Manusmriti, and Bunch of Thoughts sowed the seeds of hatred and social divide. This is the reason why people burnt Manusmriti and took exception to a portion of Ramcharitmanas, which talks against education for Dalits, backward, and women,” he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded to the minister's controversial remark and the national spokesperson of the party, Shehzad Poonawalla, said, "This is not Sanyog but Votebank ka Udyog." "Bihar Education Minister from RJD “Ramcharit Manas spreads hatred” a Few days ago Jagdanand Singh said “Ram Janmbhoomi is nafrat ki zameen”. This is not Sanyog but Votebank ka Udyog. Will action be taken? RJD bats for PFI, SIMI but abuses HINDU Astha for the vote?," Poonawalla said in a tweet. Attacking the ruling JD(U) government, BJP OBC Morcha’s national general secretary and state BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand said: “It is most surprising that the education minister while speaking at a university convocation, flaunted his silly opinion based on religious hatred. Basically, the RJD is doing politics of Muslim appeasement and that is reflected through such remarks.”

 

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A few days, Bihar RJD president Jagadanand Singh sparked a controversy when he said that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is being built on 'nafrat ki zameen'. "Ram temple is being built on the land of hatred. Ram cannot be imprisoned in a magnificent palace...We are the people who believe in ‘Hey Ram' and not 'Jai Shri Ram'," the Bihar RJD president said. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP, who said that this is all being done for the vote bank.