RJD MLA stirs fresh row over Ramcharitmanas

PATNA: RJD MLA Ritlal Yadav stirred up a fresh controversy over the Ramcharitmanas by saying the Hindu epic was written in a mosque. He also challenged BJP to expel all the Muslim leaders from the party, if Hindutva was in danger.
Yadav, who was speaking on Thursday during protest by all the Grand Alliance against the nine years of BJP rule under PM Narendra Modi, said, “They (BJP) are busy making people fight with one another. They talk about Ram Mandir. Go and read the history. The Ramcharitmanas was written in a ‘masjid’ and that time Hindutva was not in danger. Mughals ruled for such a long period but Hindutva was not in danger. An 11-year-old Muslim girl wins award for Bhagwad katha recitation. Why was this not discussed?”
RJD state spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan, however, said the MLA was talking about communal harmony, but his statement was distorted. “Hindutva gets in danger only when BJP comes to power, otherwise people of all castes and community live in peace. Is it possible that majority Hindus will have threats from minorities? All these are created by BJP for taking political mileage,” said Gagan.
But BJP state spokesperson Nikhil Anand lashed out at RJD and stated, “In RJD’s pro-Muslim policy, the party MLAs are ready to become a Muslim by abusing Hinduism. The danger to Hindutva is definitely from the Hindus wearing maulana cap and offering namaz for photo opportunities.”