Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks on Ramcharitmanas have sparked a raging controversy with Hindu sadhus and saints demanding his sacking from the government.
Minister Chandrashekhar had remarked that the famous epic Ramcharitmanas written by Goswami Tulsidas ‘spreads hatred in society’ and propagated discrimination against lower castes. The minister belonging to RJD has refused to apologise.
Let us first read what the minister said while addressing the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University. Chandrashekhar said, “Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas about 700 years ago in the 15th-16th century. It is written in Uttar Kand, worship Vipra Sheel Gun Heena… Worship Nashudra Gyan Praveena. The dream of making India great cannot be fulfilled. This means Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was a learned man, is not worthy of respect. Such texts spread hatred in our society. It is written in Ramcharitmanas Je Barnadham Teli Kumhara Swapach Kirat Kolwara.. ..J Barnadham …. (Who are called ‘adham’ (irreligious)? Backward castes like Teli, Kumhar, Kahar, Kol, Kalwar, Adivasis, Dalits etc. .. It is also written “Adham caste me vidya paaye” … Bhayahun yatha ahi milk paaye.
BJP leader Ashwini Choubey called the education minister of Bihar ‘illiterate’. He said, such things have not been written anywhere in Ramcharitmanas. Ramcharitmanas says, Hinduism is a way of life.”
Former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “It is surprising that Bihar’s education minister does not know the true story of Lord Ram and is insulting Hindu sentiments. He should either apologise, or Nitish Kumar should sack him.” The story of Lord Rama binds all Indians.” These leaders only give speeches but do not read properly. By insulting Ramcharitmanas, the minister has insulted India.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “Chandrashekhar should have read other parts of Ramcharitmanas as well. Lord Ram embraced people of all castes, and changed the outlook of people. Our party respects all religious texts. Chandrashekhar Whatever he said may be his personal view, but it is not the stand of our party.”
Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, himself a Dalit, says: “Lord Ram is the idol of India, he is the soul of this nation. Ramcharitmanas is worshiped in every Hindu household. To put it mildly about the book Doesn’t befit a minister.” Nitish Kumar may be behind this, because he is occupying his chair by dividing the society.
Bihar Pradesh Congress President Akhilesh Prasad Singh found a middle way. He was silent on the demand to sack the minister, but said, “No Indian will tolerate the insult of Lord Ram, Ramayana or Ramcharitmanas.” The person sitting on the post of Education Minister should not have made such remarks. He should take back his comment.
Union minister Giriraj Singh demanded the sacking of the minister. He alleged, “Nitish Kumar is following the policy of insulting all Hindus in search of vote bank and he is using his ministers to do so. The people of Bihar will never forgive Nitish Kumar for this insult.” Will do.”
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he was not aware of what exactly his minister said. Acharya Satyendra Das, head priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, said, “Only an illiterate person can make such comments. Such people should not be made education ministers. The minister should either apologize or be sacked.”
Poet Kumar Vishwas, who has spread the legend of Lord Rama across the world through his Ram Katha events, said, “Chandrashekhar is an illiterate education minister. A person who has poison in his mind will say such things about Ramcharitmanas.” Challenged Chandrashekhar to say such things about other religious texts.
In conclusion, I can only quote a line from the Ramcharitmanas: Jaki rahi bhawna jaisi… Prabhu murtai tin taisi. (A person sees God according to his perspective). I do not claim to be an authority on the Ramcharitmanas, but I can only say that the passages quoted by the Bihar minister were from the Uttar Kand chapter. It is claimed that this chapter is not part of the original Ramcharitmanas of Goswami Tulsidas. These were probably added later.
Even if one considers these lines as part of Ramcharitmanas, I can say that the interpretation of some words is wrong. The word “vipra” does not mean brahmin. It applies to “a person of good character”, while the term “Shudra” applies to “a person of bad character”. In Sundar Kand, ‘Vipra’ has been used for Hanuman and Ravana has been described as ‘Shudra’. The verse means, those with good character should be respected, and those with bad character should not be respected even though they are learned (like Ravana). The demon king Ravana was a great scholar, studied all the four Vedas, and worshiped Lord Shiva, but was a tyrant. This is the reason why Ravana is not worshiped by Hindus. This kind of explanation cannot be understood by people. Chandrasekhar. Nor will they ever try to understand. Because their main objective is to divide the society.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already taken the initiative of caste-based census in Bihar. His ministers are doing the rest by making such indecent remarks. Kumar Vishwas has rightly said, such ‘illiterate’ education minister should be sacked immediately.
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