Patna: Bihar's education minister Chandra Shekhar stirred up controversy once more after comparing the Ramcharitmanas, a Hindu sacred text based on the Ramayana, to potassium cyanide on Wednesday.
During a celebration of Hindi Diwas, the Bihar minister made the remarks.
"If you serve fifty-five kinds of dishes and mix potassium cyanide into it, would you eat it? Same is the case with scriptures of Hinduism," Chandra Shekhar said.
Several writers, like Baba Nagarjun and Lohia, have also criticised it, he continued.
“My objection to Ramcharitmanas is firm, and it will persist throughout my life. Even RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has commented on it,” the Bihar minister said, India Today reported.
He added, “Unless the castes of those stepping in the gutter are changed, there will be a need for a reservation and caste census in this country.”
The BJP cornered Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reacting to the comments.
BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “Minister Chandra Shekhar is continuously giving controversial statements on Ramcharitmanas. Is Nitish Kumar not hearing this? Nitish Kumar is continuously insulting Sanatana.”
Additionally, he advised Chandra Shekhar to change his religion if he had any issues.
Chandra Shekhar should be fired, according to Chirag Paswan, the leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
“The Education Minister should be dismissed. They are poisoning the new generation by making such statements. The education minister of Bihar should be ashamed. By calling Ramcharitamas potassium cyanide, they are poisoning the minds of the new generation,” Paswan said.
The RJD minister’s mental condition was also called into question by Bihar BJP Chief Samrat Chaudhary while reacting to the RJD minister’s comment on Ramcharitmanas.
He said, “The mental condition of the education minister is disturbed. He should get himself treated. We opened a mental hospital in 2003. If the Bihar government cannot get him treatment, then the BJP will get him treated.”
Chandra Shekhar has caused controversy in the past with his remarks about the Ramcharitmanas. The RJD minister claimed in January that Ramcharitmanas "spreads hatred in society" .
“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,” the minister had said.