Patna: Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar said on Wednesday that books including Ramcharitmanas, Manusmriti and MS Golwalkar’s Bunch of Thoughts created a social divide.
Of the three books he referred, reports say that Chandrashekhar especially pinned down on a Hindu religious book ‘ Ramacharitmanas’, based on Ramayana, as spreading ‘ hatred in society’.
Addressing the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University, the RJD leader made the remarks in the presence of Bihar governor Phagu Chouhan, according to India Today.
“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,” he reportedly said.
The national spokesperson of The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shehzad Poonawalla, said, "This is not Sanyog but Votebank ka Udyog," adding that RJD bats for PFI , SIMI but abuses HINDU Astha for vote.
Dr Nikhil Anand, BJP OBC Morcha’s national general secretary and state BJP spokesperson, said the RJD is doing politics of Muslim appeasement, which is reflected in the remarks of the education minister.
Jagadanand Singh, Bihar RJD president, earlier controversially said that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is being built on 'nafrat ki zameen'.
Alongside saying that the temple is built on the land hatred, RJD leader further said that lord Ram could not be imprisoned in a magnificent palace.
“We are the people who believe in ‘Hey Ram' and not 'Jai Shri Ram'," the Bihar RJD president reportedly said.