Responding to the FIR filed against BJP workers in Kerala's Palakkad district for putting up 'Jai Shri Ram' banners, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Saturday said that he did not think there is anything wrong in putting banners and raising slogans as Lord Ram was accepted by people in the whole country.
"I don't think it is a big sin that a banner of Lord Ram was put up in the excitement of the election victory. Shri Ram is a symbol that is accepted by people throughout this country, regardless of caste or religion," the minister said.
Earlier on Friday, a case was registered under section 153 IPC (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) against BJP workers for putting up banners at the Palakkad municipality office, following the party's performance in recent local body polls.
"Those who say that raising that slogan as part of a triumph is an attempt to incite religious hatred are making this issue controversial. No one has ever said that saying 'Jai Shri Ram' is a crime in this country. I would like to request the Marxist Party and the Congress to back off in their attempt to create religious rivalry by targeting extremist votes," he added.
According to him, if former Chief Minister and CPI-M leader EK Nayanar could give a Bhagavad Gita as a present when he visited the Vatican, there was nothing wrong in raising Jai Shri Ram slogans.
"Nayanar had said at the time that the Gita was a symbol of Indian culture. Shri Ram is a symbol of the Indian culture that was there before the conversion of people to other religions. There is no controversy about Shri Ram here. All the people of this country are his heirs. Religious worship may vary, but no one has yet rejected him," he said.
He further said that the controversy was being waged by those who were trying to communalise the issue with political motives and regain their lost votebank.
( With inputs from ANI )
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