Bihar minister’s statement on Hindu epic sparks controversy

Chandrashekhar was speaking at the convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University when he made the remarks. Bihar governor Phagu Chouhan was also present at the event.

Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar on Wednesday stoked controversy after he said that books like Ramcharitmanas, a Hindu religious book based on the Ramayana, spread hatred just as ‘Manusmriti’ and MS Golwalkar’s ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ created a social divide.

Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar. (ANI Photo)

“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, backwards and women,” he said.

Chandrashekhar was speaking at the convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University when he made the remarks. Bihar governor Phagu Chouhan was also present at the event.

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.”