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'BJP Considers Dalits as Shudras...': Akhilesh Yadav Amid row Over Ramcharitmanas Remarks

SP Legislative Council member Swami Prasad Maurya yesterday met party President Akhilesh Yadav amid a row over remark on Ramcharitmanas.

'BJP Considers Dalits as Shudras...': Akhilesh Yadav Amid row Over Ramcharitmanas Remarks

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has hit out at the ruling BJP amid the remarks against Ramcharitmanas by his party leader Swami Prasad Maurya. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that the BJP considers Dalits and backward people as shudras and have problems with these people going to temples.

"People of BJP consider dalits and backward people as shudras. They have trouble if these people go to religious places to seek blessings from gurus and saints. People of BJP played with our security today, remember, if times change, similar arrangements will be made for them too," said Akhilesh Yadav.

Meanwhile, SP Legislative Council member Swami Prasad Maurya yesterday met party President Akhilesh Yadav and discussed the caste-based survey. However, it was reported that they also discussed the controversy over Swami's remarks on Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas.

Maurya told PTI that the meeting was about various issues including the speeding up of the campaign for caste-based survey. The Samajwadi Party has been making vociferous demands for a caste based survey in the state. Yadav had in the run up to the assembly election last year promised to hold a caste survey in the state if the party comes to power.

Asked whether there was any talk about his remarks on Shri Ramcharitmanas in the meeting, the former cabinet minister said, "SP President Akhilesh Yadav will answer this in the House as Leader of the Opposition." Yadav will also give the party's view on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stating in Rajasthan on Friday that Sanatan dharma is the country's national religion, Maurya said.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party government is ending the reservation for Dalits, backward and deprived. In such a situation, the SP will come with a new strategy regarding the demand for caste-based survey," he said.

Maurya kicked up a little storm in Uttar Pradesh politics on January 22, when he referred to a couplet in Shri Ramcharitmanas and called it derogatory towards women and backward people, demanding a ban on it.