New Delhi: The controversy surrounding Ramcharitmanas refuses to die down, with OBC leaders burning copies of the Hindu epic written by the great saint Goswami Tulsidas in state capital Lucknow and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. Videos shared by Twitter users show several members of the Samajwadi Party-backed Akhil Bhartiya OBC Mahasabha burning copies of the Hindu epic in support of its leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who has sparked a political storm by making objectionable comments on the Ramcharitmanas .
In the viral video, OBC leaders can also be seen raising slogans and demanding a ban on the epic.
Yesterday “Swami Prasad” met Akhilesh ji, then Akhilesh ji went to the temple, today in support of SP leader Swami Prasad the “holy book” Ramcharitmanas was torn and burnt in Vrindavan Yojna, Lucknow?
we @Uppolice We demand registration of FIR against the culprits.https://t.co/28pr8NjWDi pic.twitter.com/lP1Yf7bzai— Vikas Singh (@INDVikasS) January 29, 2023
Earlier members of the burnt photocopies of the epic in Vrindavan. Protests were held in the Vrindavan planning area, expressing solidarity with Maurya, who said in a statement on 22 January, “The Hindu epic contains passages discriminatory towards women and Shudras.”
Right wing organizations have demanded registration of FIR against these protesters and strict action.
Maurya, a popular OBC leader from Uttar Pradesh, had courted controversy by accusing certain verses of Ramcharitmanas of “insulting” a large section of the society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be “banned”. Maurya, who was a cabinet minister in the BJP government, had resigned and joined the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Reacting to the controversy, BSP chief Mayawati on Monday said it was aimed at benefiting the ruling BJP and the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party. He ridiculed the Samajwadi Party for not taking any action against party leader Swami Prasad Maurya who recently made objectionable remarks on the epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’ written by the great saint Goswami Tulsidas.
Ayodhya’s top saints – Mahant Raju Das of Hanuman Garhi temple and Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Chhawni – have announced a reward for beheading Maurya for insulting Sanatan Dharma and urged the BJP government to take strict action against such leaders. Where is it?
Maurya, however, sounded defiant, saying, “I will continue to oppose the conspiracies to insult tribals, Dalits, backward and women in the name of religion. Just as an elephant is unperturbed by barking dogs and does not change its course, I will also not change my attitude towards getting respect for those people (tribals, dalits, backwards and women).”
Not only this, Swami Prasad Maurya had also given a controversial statement against the sages and saints by calling them demons.