Controversy over Bihar education minister's remarks on Ramcharitmanas

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday said he will speak to his cabinet colleague Chandrasekhar, a senior RJD leader, whose recent remarks about the epic poem 'Ramcharitmanas' has triggered a controversy.

The JD(U) supremo was replying to queries from journalists in the Darbhanga district which he visited as part of his state-wide mass outreach programme 'Samadhan Yatra'.

"I don't know about the matter. But I will enquire (humko pata nahin hai. Hum poochh lenge unse)," was Kumar's curt reply.

Chandrashekhar, who holds the education portfolio, had commented on 'Ramcharitmanas', arguably the most popular version of the Ramayana penned by medieval saint Goswami Tulsidas, at the convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University on Wednesday.

Later, when accosted by reporters, he had dug in his heels and said "Manu Smriti, Ramcharitmanas and Bunch of Thoughts (written by RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar) have promoted hatred in the society. A reason why these (works) face opposition from Dalits and OBCs".

BJP, of which RSS is the ideological arm, has predictably expressed anger over the statement.

The party's state unit spokesman and national general secretary Nikhil Anand came out with a statement accusing the RJD leader of having hurt Hindu sentiments with "appeasement of Muslims in mind".

BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, who is fast emerging as Bihar's Hindutva poster boy, asked the RJD leader to "Show he is man enough by being as outspoken about Islam".

The RJD leader also received a thumbs down from Chirag Paswan, who seeks to carry forward his late father Ram Vilas Paswan's political legacy while aligning with the BJP.

Terming the statement by Chandrasekhar as "incendiary"(bhadkaau), Paswan blamed it on the "divisive tactics" of Nitish Kumar, his bete noire. He also asserted that the ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state will pay the price for "hurting popular sentiments" in the state election.

Meanwhile, when journalists approached Chandrashekhar again, the minister stuck to his guns and declared he will seek "expunction from the Ramcharitmanas all verses that condone social discrimination".