LUCKNOW: Hours after the UP government decided to organize Ramayana and Durga Saptashati recitations in every district during the upcoming Navratri, Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday said the Yogi Adityanath government will organize the event at its own expense. I am forced to because people have stopped reciting Ramcharitmanas across the country. Addressing the media, Maurya further said that those who talk about reciting Ramcharitmanas are enemies of women, tribals, Dalits and backward communities of this country. The UP government has asked local administrations across the state to organize special religious and cultural programs including recitations of Durga Saptashati and Akhand Ramayana in temples during the nine-day Chaitra Navratri and Ram Navami festivals. Chaitra Navratri begins on March 22 and Ram Navami will be celebrated on March 30.
Swami Prasad Maurya has once again described Tulsidas’ epic Ramcharitmanas as the most controversial poem in the world. He said that Ramcharitmas talks about oppression of women, humiliation of Dalits and includes caste-indicative words. Organizing such poetry recitation shows that the government is the enemy of these groups and has opened coffers to promote it.
UP- Swami Prasad Maurya’s controversial statement. Watch half day full news #CMyogi #SwamiPrasadMaurya ,@Payodhi_Shashi @malhotra_malika pic.twitter.com/iaJ55Mulkp– Zee News (@ZeeNews) March 14, 2023
Principal Secretary, Culture, Mukesh Meshram, in an order dated March 10, said Chaitra Navratri has special significance, in which nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped to ward off negative energy. Hence religious and cultural programs are proposed to be organized during this period.
The order, sent to all district magistrates and divisional commissioners, states that the culture department will provide Rs 1 lakh to each district to be paid as honorarium to artistes selected to perform in these events.
‘What will happen with such a small amount..’: Akhilesh Yadav on UP government’s decision
While Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya welcomed the government’s decision, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sarcastically described the amount as insufficient and said the government should give more to districts to allow the celebration of all religious festivals.
Yadav said, “The proposal to give Rs 1 lakh to UP district magistrates to celebrate Ram Navami is welcome but what will happen with such a small amount. At least Rs 10 crore should be given so that festivals of all religions can be celebrated.” , BJP government should give free cylinders on festivals and it should start from this Ram Navami.
Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said, “It is a good thing to organize religious events, but what about the issues on which people voted for the BJP.”
Awasthi asked where were the jobs that the party had promised. “Not a day passes without news of atrocities on Brahmins and Dalits in UP. The BJP has failed on issues and promises that were made to the people of the state.”
Maurya, however, dismissed the questions raised by the opposition. “Any religious event being organized related to Lord Shri Ram and Ramcharitmanas should be welcomed. There should be no question or answer on this. All I want to say is Jai Shri Ram and Jai Mata Di.”
Meanwhile, Meshram told PTI that there is nothing new in the culture department’s order as such programs have happened in the past as well.
“Such events have been organized in the past as well and this is not being organized for the first time in the state. Organizing these events will provide a platform to artists at the local level to showcase their talent,” he said.
The senior government official has asked the local administration to organize Durga Saptashati, Devi Gaan and Devi Jagran in temples and ‘shakti peeths’ as part of a special drive to ensure participation of women and girls.
The order states that on Ashtami and Ram Navami (March 29 and 30), Akhand Ramayana recitation should be organized in major temples and ‘Shakti Peethas’ to spread human, social and national values.
Two nodal officers have been appointed at the state level for proper coordination. And the order states that an organizing committee should be constituted in each block, tehsil and district.
The order states that in each district a committee headed by the District Magistrate will select the artistes who will perform in the programmes, public representatives should be invited and large public participation should be ensured.
The government has also asked the local administration to upload photographs of these events on the website of the culture department.
All preparations should be done by March 21, till then GPS location, photos of temples and contact details of temple management bodies should be shared with the culture department.