Samajwadi Party has distanced itself from the remarks of party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya, who stated that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred.
SP veteran Ravidas Mehrotra has said that Maurya's remarks were made out of "ignorance" and is not the party's line and the Samajwadi Party respected all religious texts and religions.
"It is personal views and has nothing to do with the party. This statement by Maurya has been given just out of ignorance. He has no knowledge that the verse of Ramcharitmanas, he was referring, has a different meaning," Mehrotra said talking to ANI.
Several party MLAs have also decided to distance themselves from Maurya's statement and raised the matter with the party chief over phone.
Maurya, considered a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh had on Sunday sought a ban on the work composed by the 16-century poet-saint Tulsidas alleging that Dalits and women have been "insulted" in the epic poem based on the Ramayana.
Speaking to ANI, the SP leader said, "I don't have any issue with Ramcharitramanas but parts of it have insulting comments and sarcasm directed at particular castes and sects. Those should be removed."
Mehrotra further said that Maurya's remarks have been taken up with the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and action will be taken against him.
Maurya's statement has triggered a controversy with the Uttar Pradesh BJP hitting out at the Samajwadi Party.
UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said, "People like Swami Prasad Maurya are deranged. Akhilesh Yadav should clarify whether it is his party's view or Swami Prasad's personal view."
( With inputs from ANI )
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