Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar on Friday faced with questions from reporters regarding his recent remarks on Ramcharitmanas. Doubling down on his stand, Chandrasekhar said he spoke the truth for "humanity".
“How many times do I have to say the same thing? I spoke the truth, I stand by it. What do I have to do with whatever anyone says?” he asked reporters.
Read| JD(U) condemns Bihar minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks
The Bihar minister earlier stirred a controversy after saying that Ramcharitmanas, a religious book for Hindus depicting tales of Ramayana, “spreads hatred in society”. He further aligned the book with Manusmriti and MS Golwalkar's Bunch of Thoughts.
{{/usCountry}}The Bihar minister earlier stirred a controversy after saying that Ramcharitmanas, a religious book for Hindus depicting tales of Ramayana, “spreads hatred in society”. He further aligned the book with Manusmriti and MS Golwalkar's Bunch of Thoughts.
{{/usCountry}}"Ramcharitmanas was opposed because it said that the lower section of society becomes poisonous if they get educated. Books like Ramcharitmanas, Manusmriti and MS Golwalkar’s Bunch of Thoughts created a social divide," the minister said earlier at the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University. He added that these books talk against education of Dalits, backwards and women.
The Janata Dal (United) condemned the minister's remark and said it is inappropriate to make such statement. “I condemn such statements, even it is his personal opinion and the minister should take it back,” JD(U) minister Ashok Chaudhary said.
Read| ‘Either he is mad or…’: Bihar BJP leader slams minister
Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Chandrashekhar terming him “mad or anti-national”. "Either he is mad or anti-national or against the nation's thought process... his place is inside a jail. We'll raise this issue in (the) Assembly," state's former education minister AP Singh said.
Meanwhile, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar sidestepped the controversy, responding, "I don't know anything about it", when asked to comment by reporters.
(With ANI inputs)