Yogi Adityanath slams SP over Ramcharitmanas row

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday attacked the Samajwadi Party (SP) over the Ramcharitmanas row and alleged that it has offended Hindu population around the world by burning copies of extracts from the 16th-century poem.

Replying to the Governor's address during the Budget session in the UP Legislative Assembly, Adityanath said, "The office of the Samajwadi Party is running a campaign against 'Sant Tulsidas' ji. It is making efforts to insult a sacred text like Ramcharitmanas." Swami Prasad Maurya, who was recently made the general secretary of the SP, had on January 22 alleged that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas "insult" a large section of society on the basis of caste and said these should be "banned". Adityanath said, "In the Sundarkand section of the Ramcharitmanas, Lord Ram asks the sea to pave a way to Lanka.

After waiting for three days, the Ayodhya prince says 'Bhay Binu Hoyi Na Preeti' (without fear, there cannot be love), warning the sea to act against it when the sea god conveys its point of view to him." The chief minister went on to explain the meaning of the 'chaupai' (verse) deemed insulting by Maurya. He said, "Speaker sir, the lines are 'Prabhu Bhal Kinhi Mohi Sikh Dinhi, Marjada Puni Tumhari Kinhi. Dhol, Gavar, Shudra, Pashu, Nari, Sakal Tadna Ke Adhikari'. 'Dhol' is a musical instrument.

'Gavar' means illiterate. 'Shudra' means those from the labour class, and not from any particular caste." Adityanath said the architect of the Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar did not want the Dalit community to be referred to as 'Shudras' and the condition of women in the 16th century was marred by evil practices like child marriage. "Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar has said that the Dalit community should not be called 'Shudra', and 'Nari' means woman and mothers. When the Ramcharitmanas was composed, what was the condition of women? It is not hidden from anyone. There were evil practices like child marriages," the BJP leader said. He said, "I would like to tell the Samajwadi Party that they should feel proud that Uttar Pradesh is the land of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. It is here that sacred books like Ramcharitmanas and Valmiki Ramayan were composed. It is the land of Ganga, Yamuna. It is the land of Sangam (the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati)."

Adityanath said the people of Uttar Pradesh are proud of all of this. "Are you not insuting 100 crore Hindus living in the country and in the world by burning the sacred religious text," he asked, adding, "How can anyone accept such anarchy?" "I am reminded of only one line --- 'Jaako Prabhu Darun Dukh Dinhi, Taki Mati Pahle Har Linhi Hee' (the person whom god gives grief, he first takes away his mind). In other words, whatever is left is also gone," he said taking a dig at the opposition. A cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state, Swami Prasad Maurya had resigned and joined the SP before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. He contested the election from the Fazilnagar Assembly seat in the Kushinagar district but lost. Later, he was sent to the legislative council by party chief Akhilesh Yadav. On January 24, an FIR was registered against Maurya at the Hazratganj police station over his controversial comments on the "Ramcharitmanas", police said. Another FIR was registered against Maurya and others on January 29 at the PGI police station. PTI AR NA

Facing flak over the brazen killing of a prime witness in the 2005 case of a BSP MLA's murder, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused the Samajwadi Party of nurturing mafias and vowed to destroy them. "The mafia whose name is emerging ... is it not true that the Samajwadi Party had made him an MP... He was a mafia nurtured by the SP. Our government is working to break their back. '

Mitti me mila denge' (We will destroy the mafias)," Adityanath said in the Assembly. He was speaking after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sought to corner him over the killing and raised questions over the law and order situation, while the opposition and treasury benches traded charges.

"They (SP) are the mentors of criminals, and they have been doing it continuously. Crime flows in their veins. They have learnt nothing except crime. The entire state knows about this, and today they are giving justification," said a visibly agitated chief minister, who spoke for more than two hours in the Assembly while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor's address.

He alleged that the SP was not just nurturing mafias but making them MPs and MLAs. Chief Minister Adityanath has frequently stressed that reining in mafias and improving the law and order situation had been one of the major achievements of his government since the BJP came to power in the state in 2017. Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, was shot dead outside his residence in Prayagraj on Friday, the police said. One of his gunners, who too was hit in the firing, died later. An FIR was registered on Saturday against several people, including former MP Atiq Ahmed.

The mafia-turned-politician is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. Atiq was an SP MP from Phulpur parliamentary constituency (in Prayagraj).