Ayodhya seer Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya announces Rs 10 crore reward for chopping off Bihar Minister’s tongue for remarks on Ramcharitmanas

Row over Ramcharitmanas: Ayodhya seer Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya has warned that such insulting remarks made by the Bihar minister will not be tolerated at all because “Ramcharitmanas is a book that connects and not divides.”

Ayodhya: Ayodhya seer Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya has demanded the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar must immediately sack the state’s Education Minister Chandrashekhar for his controversial remarks that the holy book Ramcharitmanas spreads hatred and division in the society. "The way Bihar`s Education Minister has described Ramcharitmanas book as a book that spreads hatred, the whole country is hurt by it, it is an insult to all Sanatanis, and I demand legal action for this statement."

"He should be sacked from the post of minister within a week. And he should apologize, if this does not happen, then I declare a reward of Rs 10 crores to anyone who will chop off the tongue of Bihar`s Education Minister Chandrashekhar," influential Ayodhya seer Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya, Tapaswi Chawani Temple said.

The top seer said that such remarks will not be tolerated at all because “Ramcharitmanas is a book that connects and not divides.” “Ramcharitmanas is a book to establish humanity. It is the form of Indian culture, it is the pride of our country. Such comments on Ramcharitmanas will not be tolerated,’’ the seer warned. 

Ramcharitmanas spreads hatred: Bihar minister 

Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar has stoked a controversy after he claimed that Ramcharitmanas, an epic Hindu religious book which is based on Ramayana, "spreads hatred in the society". Chandrashekhar made these remarks while addressing the students at the 15th convocation ceremony of Nalanda Open University during which he described Ramcharitmanas and Manusmriti as books that divide society. 

"Why was Manusmriti burnt, because many abuses were given in it against a large section. Why was Ramcharitmanas resisted and which part was resisted? Lower caste people were not allowed to access education and it is said in the Ramcharitmanas that lower caste people become poisonous by getting an education as a snake becomes after drinking milk."

The minister said that ‘Manusmriti and Ramcharitmanas’ are books that spread hatred in society as it prevents Dalits-backwards and women in society from getting an education. "Manusmriti, Ramcharitmanas, Bunch of Thoughts by Guru Golwalkar... these books are books that spread hatred. Hatred will not make the country great, love will make the country great," he added.

The remarks by the minister drew heavy backlash from the seer community, with another priest terming Chandrashekhar as uncivilized. "Bihar`s Education Minister Chandrashekhar is an uneducated, uncivilized person who does not know anything about Ramcharitmanas. Ramcharitmanas is meant to connect the whole society. Ram belongs to everyone. Ram is the soul of every Indian," he said, demanding the Bihar government to sack the education minister with immediate effect.

"They are doing the work of hurting the religious sentiments of the majority society. And they are working to hurt the religious sentiments of the `Sarva-Hindu` society. We all have objections to this. Lord Ram is the pinnacle of decorum (Maryada Ki Parakashtha). God has taught the whole world the lesson of dignity, humanity and life," he added.