Adityanath slams SP over Ramcharitmanas row

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday attacked the Samajwadi Party (SP) over the Ramcharitmanas row and alleged that it has offended Hindu population around the world by burning copies of extracts from the 16th-century poem.

Replying to the Governor's address during the Budget session in the UP Legislative Assembly, Adityanath said, "The office of the Samajwadi Party is running a campaign against 'Sant Tulsidas' ji. It is making efforts to insult a sacred text like Ramcharitmanas."

Read | Protecting women, Dalits, backwards not religious issue: SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

Swami Prasad Maurya, who was recently made the general secretary of the SP, had on January 22 alleged that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas "insult" a large section of society on the basis of caste and said these should be "banned".

Adityanath said, "In the Sundarkand section of the Ramcharitmanas, Lord Ram asks the sea to pave a way to Lanka. After waiting for three days, the Ayodhya prince says 'Bhay Binu Hoyi Na Preeti' (without fear, there cannot be love), warning the sea to act against it when the sea god conveys its point of view to him."

The chief minister went on to explain the meaning of the 'chaupai' (verse) deemed insulting by Maurya.

He said, "Speaker sir, the lines are 'Prabhu Bhal Kinhi Mohi Sikh Dinhi, Marjada Puni Tumhari Kinhi. Dhol, Gavar, Shudra, Pashu, Nari, Sakal Tadna Ke Adhikari'. 'Dhol' is a musical instrument. 'Gavar' means illiterate. 'Shudra' means those from the labour class, and not from any particular caste."

Adityanath said the architect of the Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar did not want the Dalit community to be referred to as 'Shudras' and the condition of women in the 16th century was marred by evil practices like child marriage.

"Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar has said that the Dalit community should not be called 'Shudra', and 'Nari' means woman and mothers. When the Ramcharitmanas was composed, what was the condition of women? It is not hidden from anyone. There were evil practices like child marriages," the BJP leader said.

He said, "I would like to tell the Samajwadi Party that they should feel proud that Uttar Pradesh is the land of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. It is here that sacred books like Ramcharitmanas and Valmiki Ramayan were composed. It is the land of Ganga, Yamuna. It is the land of Sangam (the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati)."

Adityanath said the people of Uttar Pradesh are proud of all of this.

"Are you not insuting 100 crore Hindus living in the country and in the world by burning the sacred religious text," he asked, adding, "How can anyone accept such anarchy?"

"I am reminded of only one line --- 'Jaako Prabhu Darun Dukh Dinhi, Taki Mati Pahle Har Linhi Hee' (the person whom god gives grief, he first takes away his mind). In other words, whatever is left is also gone," he said taking a dig at the opposition.

A cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state, Swami Prasad Maurya had resigned and joined the SP before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

He contested the election from the Fazilnagar Assembly seat in the Kushinagar district but lost. Later, he was sent to the legislative council by party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

On January 24, an FIR was registered against Maurya at the Hazratganj police station over his controversial comments on the "Ramcharitmanas", police said. Another FIR was registered against Maurya and others on January 29 at the PGI police station.