BJP MP Sanghamitra Maurya said there should be a debate over some parts of the epic
Budaun (UP):
BJP MP Sanghamitra Maurya on Wednesday supported her father and leader of the Samajwadi Party, Swami Prasad Maurya, after his comments on Ramcharitmanas, saying there should be a debate over some parts of the Hindu epic.
She said that the “chaupai” (verse) of the Ramcharitmanas, called objectionable by her father, should be discussed with scholars.
“My father has read Ramcharitmanas. However, I have not spoken to him about it. But if he has mentioned a chaupai, it is probably because that line conflicts with the character of Lord Ram himself. While Lord Ram ate Shabari’s berries without importance to attach to caste, her caste has been described in that chaupai,” Sanghamitra, the BJP MP from Budaun, told reporters when asked about her father’s comments on Ramcharitmanas. Swami Prasad Maurya has been booked for his controversial comments.
Sanghamitra said her father quoted the specific verse because he sought clarification.
“So we think there must be an explanation. This is not an issue to be discussed in the media. We think it is a matter of analysis. This should be discussed with scientists,” she added.
“If we find something contrary to God, we need an explanation,” the BJP MP said.
Sanghamitra claimed that the chaupai was also questioned in a poem by the great poetess Mahadevi Verma, saying that she too had said she was surprised that no woman had objected to it.
She said, “He (Maurya) is my father, I’m not defending him, rather I’m saying if someone talks about something we shouldn’t comment until we fully understand his point.” Swami Prasad Maurya, a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh recently sparked controversy by claiming that certain verses of Ramcharitmanas “insult” a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that they be “outlawed”.
Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem in the Awadhi language, is based on the Ramayana and was composed by the 16th century Bhakti poet Tulsidas.
On Tuesday, an FIR was registered against Maurya over his comments on the epic.
The SP leader has refused to retract his statement, saying he had spoken about a particular verse in the Hindu epic and not Lord Ram or any religion.
He also said that he made the comments in a personal capacity and not as a member of the SP.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NewsMadura staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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