Respect all religions, says Nitish Kumar amid Ramcharitmanas row

State education minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks that epic Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred in society provoked outrage

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday called for respecting all religions and not demeaning them days after state education minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks that epic Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred in society provoked outrage.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. (PTI)

“There should not be any interference with any religion and one should not demean any religion,” said Kumar, who has been under attack for not acting against Chandrashekhar. “I have explained this and yesterday [Monday] deputy chief minister [Tejashwi Yadav] also spoke about this.”

Yadav defended Chandrashekhar while asking people to be mindful of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s conspiracies. He cautioned his party members to respect all religions. “...it [BJP] is cunningly trying to direct the political discourse towards a Hindu versus Muslim binary.” He said one should not demean any other religion as it was against the Constitution that respects all religions.

The BJP hit out at Chandrashekhar, a leader of Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, over his comments

The controversy coincided with reports of a rift in the ruling alliance even as Yadav denied this. Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) has also been critical of the comments and demanded action against Chandrashekhar.

JD(U) minister Ashok Chaudhary, a close aide to Nitish Kumar, said the comments created confusion among people that they are anti-Hindu and opposed to Ramcharitmanas. “The BJP is benefiting from such statements,” he said after Kumar earlier feigned ignorance about Chandrashekhar’s statement.