‘Will directly benefit BJP’: JD(U)'s Kushwaha slams Bihar minister for statement on Ramcharitmanas

Kushwaha is the second leader from CM Nitish Kumar's party to make such an observation.

Senior JD(U) leader Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday slammed Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar for his statement on Ramcharitmanas, saying the minister's statement will benefit the opposition BJP as it is an agenda of the saffron party.

JD(U)’s parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha . (File Photo/PTI)

“The statement will directly benefit BJP. The topic he spoke on is an agenda of BJP. Speaking on its agenda means playing on their pitch. If we play there, who will benefit? BJP,” news agency ANI quoted Kushwaha as saying.

The 62-year-old leader questioned also ally RJD for standing by its member Chandrashekhar.

“Our agenda is social justice, secularism, development and the work of the CM (Nitish Kumar) all these years...RJD said that they stand with Chandrashekhar's remark. What does this mean? Cognisance of the matter should be taken, it is needed,” he said.

Kushwaha's remarks came a day after his JD(U) colleague and state minister Ashok Chaudhary also said the BJP will benefit from what Chandrashekhar said.

The education minister, who has refused to apologise for his statement, had stoked a controversy after he said, "“Religious texts like Ramacharitmanas spread hatred just as ‘Manusmriti’ and Golwalkar’s ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ created social divide in different eras.”

At least three complaints have been filed in Bihar against the three-time Madhepura MLA.