Ramcharitmanas row: Bihar Education minister refuses to apologise for controversial remark

Patna: Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar on Thursday reiterated his statement on Tuesday, claiming that the Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic `Ramayana`, "spreads hatred in the society". He also said that certain parts of Ramcharitmanas propagate discrimination again certain castes. On whether he would apologise for his statement as the Opposition BJP has demanded, he said it is the saffron that should apologise for not being aware of facts.

Addressing students at the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University on Wednesday, he claimed that the `Ramcharitmanas` and `Manusmriti` divide the society."Why was there resistance to the Ramcharitmanas? It says people from lower castes could be as dangerous as snakes after receiving education," the minister said on Tuesday. He has said revered Hindu texts like Manusmriti and Ramcharitmanas are against Dalits, other backward classes and women receiving education."Manusmriti, Ramcharitmanas, Bunch of Thoughts by saffron ideologue Guru Golwalkar spread hatred.

Love, not hatred, makes the country great," added Chandrashekhar. Earlier this month, Kerala Minister and Communist leader MB Rajesh made a similar statement about Manusmriti claiming that it advocates a `cruel` caste system. Speaking at a programme of Varkala Sivagiri Mutt, Rajesh had said, "If Kerala has an acharya, it`s Sree Narayana guru and not Adi Shankaracharya."