'Ramcharitmanas Has Some Dirt That Needs To Be Removed': Bihar RJD Leader Chandrashekhar Sparks Row

Ramcharitmanas Row: The Bihar RJD leader had last month sparked a controversy by saying that several dohas (couplets) of Ramcharitmanas were spreading hatred and divisions in the society.

PATNA: Senior RJD leader and Bihar Education Minister Prof Chandrashekhar has once again stirred controversy by alleging that Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem in the Awadhi language, has some dirt that needs to be removed. He reiterated that Ramcharitmanas, composed by Indian Bhakti poet Goswami Tulsidas, created divisions in society. The Bihar RJD leader had last month sparked a controversy by saying that several dohas (couplets) of Ramcharitmanas were spreading hatred and creating discrepancies in society. “Ramcharitmanas is a curse on the society as instead of connecting the society, it is breaking it,” he had said while addressing the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University.

The RJD leader said that Ramcharitmanas even advocated for preventing Dalits, backwards and women from education but also for keeping them deprived of their rights. “Manusmriti has sowed the seed of hatred in the society,” the minister said adding that former RSS chief MS Golwarkar’s thoughts were spreading hatred in the society. He also said that Dr. BR Ambedkar had burnt ‘Manusmriti’ as it backed the snatching of the rights of Dalits and deprived sections of the society. 

Sticking to his stand on Ramcharitmanas, Chandrashekhar opined that India could become strong and prosperous by promoting love and affection among various sections of society. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has also said that he is not against Ramcharitmanas but asserted that the controversy over a certain verse of the Hindu epic is "5,000 years old".

During the budget discussion in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Yadav said, "We are not against Ramcharitmanas. Why do you do 'prachar'. God is for all and not for anyone (person). You take donations (for the construction of Ram temple) so has God become yours. But whatever is wrong is wrong."

Mentioning the word 'tadan' in one of the verses of Ramcharitmanas, he said, "If you make one person stand to know what is the meaning of 'tadan', then we can also make 10 stand about this. Will you make anyone stand up and explain the meaning of 'tadan'? You tell what the situation is in UP."

While reciting a poem by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on the issue, Yadav said, "This fight is not of today. This fight is 5,000 years old." "I did not ask about Ramcharitmanas. I had said that the Leader of the House should tell what is a 'Shudra'. If this 'Shudra' does not become your shield, then you could not have come to power."

Yadav was mentioning a verse "Dhol, ganwar, shudra, pashu, naari, sakal tadan ke adhikari" on which a controversy erupted last month after SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya alleged that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas 'insult' a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be 'banned.'

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused Samajwadi Party of humiliating 100 crore Hindus by burning a copy of Ramcharitmanas. CM Adityanath, explaining the verse, which was described as objectionable by SP leader Maurya, had said that 'tadan' meant 'dekhbhal' (caring).