LAW KUMAR MISHRA
PATNA:Union Home Minister,Amit Shah on Saturday joined NDA leaders in condemning the Bihar education minister,Chandrashekhar yadav for his defamatory comments against Ram Charit Manas.
Addressing a public meeting at Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district,birth place of Sita,Home Minister said abusive languages had been used against the Holy book-Ramcharit Manas,deliberately with obvious reason to appease members of a particular community.
He said the RJD president,Lalu Prasad has now become very active making the chief minister,Nitish Kumar inactive.Education minister is from RJD quota.
Chandra Shekhar while speaking at an official programme on the occasion of Hindi Diwas here described Ram Charit Manas was like potassium cyanide.It spread hatred in the society.
At another programme to celebrate,the education minister had described Prophet Mohammad as Maryada Purushottam while condemning Ram Charit Manas.
On January 12,while addressing the annual convocation Nalanda Open University.education minister had asked the students to boycott RamcharitManas which spread hatred in the society and preached against the downtrodden and women.
In January,the chief minister had summoned the Education minister and directed him to retract his statement against Ram Charit Manas and apologise for hurting the sentiments of the people.
Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader,Sushil Kumar Modi today demanded resignation of the minister and suggested the Governor should dismiss him for constantly hurting the Hindu sentiments and his hate speeches.He should be tried for hate speeches,Modi said and wondered if Chandrashekhar could speak against non-Hindu religious books.BJP leader predicted the prophetic Cyanide remark would prove cyanide for the RJD in the next elections.
On Saturday,deputy chief minister,Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav,regretted the statement of his minister and said he has asked Chandra Shekhar to concentrate on the working of his department and avoid speaking against the Manas.”We are governed by our Constitution,which respected all religions groups”,Tejashwi said .
In the last fortnight,Lalu Prasad had worshipped at five temples from Thawe in Gopalganj district to Sidho Vinayak in Mumbai.He had offered prayers at two historic Shiva temples at Harihar Nath and Baidyanath too last week,but his minister spoke against Ram.
JDU spokesman,Abhisek Jha,reacted to the education minister’s statement and suggested”Those who feel Ramcharit Manas is potassium cyanide should taste it”.
In separate statements,LJP and HAM(S) parties also criticised the minister for his anti-Ramcharit Manas remarks and advised him to withdraw his comments.