Ramcharitmanas row: Swami Prasad Maurya speaking on behest of Akhilesh Yadav, says UP Dy CM

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 29 (ANI): Reacting sharply to Swami Prasad Maurya's remarks on 'Ramcharitmanas', Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday alleged that the Samajwadi Party leader is speaking on behest of his party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Yadav who sent the Ram bhakts to jail.
Notably, Maurya stirred controversy by demanding the deletion of "insulting comments and sarcasm" targeted at particular castes and sects in Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic Ramayana.
"I believe that this is not his language (Swami Prasad Maurya), Akhilesh Yadav who sent the Ram bhakts to jail is behind such language and rhetoric which is inappropriate. The country is moving ahead free from corruption, terrorism, casteism and is progressing. Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi are compelled to visit temples," said Maurya.
BJP leader Mohsin Raza said that Samajwadi Party is trying to spread instability and separatism in the country by including people like Swami Prasad Maurya, who made remarks against 'Ramcharitmanas', in the national executive council of the party.
The BJP leader said that the inclusion of Maurya in the national executive council of the Samajwadi Party proves that the party prefers people with such an ideology.

"Swami Prasad Maurya who made remarks against 'Ramcharitmanas' being included in the national executive council of the Samajwadi Party proves that the party prefers people with such an ideology. SP trying to spread instability and separatism in the country by appointing such people," said Raza.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad Ansari said that Samajwadi Party leaders have always tried to confuse and provoke society.
"Politics should be to serve the society and should be to unite the country. The opposition is disturbed that the Yogi government is doing good work in this country. Every action of the opposition is just a political stunt. The opposition has nothing to do with public issues or society. Uniting and moving the society forward should be the target of the public and everyone," he added.

UP Minister Dharam Pal Singh said commenting on Ramcharitmanas shows narrow-mindedness.
Singh said that everyone knows the history of the Samajwadi Party, the children of mothers and sisters have never been safe under the government of the Samajwadi Party.
"Public will also teach a lesson to Swami Prasad Maurya ji on time. People working in any field must get respect. The public's mind has become stable about Modi ji, now the government of PM Narendra Modi ji will only be formed in the country. PM Narendra Modi will again form the government of the country with the majority. Commenting on Ramcharitmanas shows a small-mindedness," he added.
Earlier in the day Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha members burnt copies of Ramcharitmanas in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow in support of the Samajwadi Party (SP) Swami Prasad Maurya.
The protesting OBC Mahasabha member alleged, "In the Ramcharitmanas there are several offensive verses and that we want to be deleted. We are against these verses. This contains several verses against women and the lower castes (Shudras). We are burning those verses and we demand the deletion of those verses. This is a protest by burning it. Right now we are just burning the pages and if these verses are not deleted then this fire will spread across the country."

Another OBC Mahasabha member said that Ramcharitmanas, which is considered the biggest religious book of Sanatan Dharma, has humiliated and fooled the whole society and has also used abusive language for women.

Earlier this month, the SP leader sparked a major controversy after he demanded the deletion of "insulting comments and sarcasm" targeted at particular castes and sects in Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic Ramayana.
Speaking to ANI, the former BJP leader had said, "I don't have any issue with Ramcharitmanas but parts of it have insulting comments and sarcasm directed at particular castes and sects. Those should be removed."
Maurya further claimed that in the Ramcharitmanas, which was composed by Tulsidas, there are words hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community.
"The government should take effective action and show sensitivity. It should see that the sentiments of any community are not hurt," he added.
While Maurya's remarks gave fresh ammunition to the BJP, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav distanced himself from the remark.
An FIR was filed against the former Cabinet minister over his remark.
The case against Maurya was filed at the Hazratganj police station for allegedly outraging religious feelings with his remark.
Maurya on January 27 triggered a fresh row, calling Hindu seers 'terrorists' and 'devils'.
Speaking to ANI on Friday, Maurya said, "Those who threatened to slit my neck and tongue were seers or were from a particular caste. Had the same threat been made by a person belonging to some other religion, he would have been called a terrorist. Are the seers threatening to slit my tongue and neck not terrorists, devils, and executioners? If they had, indeed, believed in the religion that they claim to espouse, they couldn't have said such things." (ANI)