Lord Ram not real, Ramayan not a true story: Former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi sparks row

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New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday (September 22) sparked a row after he said he doesn’t believe Lord Ram to be a historical figure and that Ramayan is just a mythological story.

The president of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) said, “I don’t consider the Ramayan to be a true story, and I do not believe that Lord Ram was a great historical person.”

However, Manjhi said that he admired the teachings of Ramayan saying its lessons provide valuable learning.

Manjhi’s statement comes after talks on the inclusion of Ramayan in the academic curriculum in Bihar just as it was done in Madhya Pradesh.

Soon after his remarks, political leaders from across different parties came down heavily on him.

“No one can erase the existence of Lord Ram and the relevance of Ramayan from our society,” said State BJP spokesman Prem Ranjan Patel.

He said that people who do not believe in Lord Ram need to read Ramayan.

The opposition leaders of the RJD and Congress also criticized the statement saying the relevance of Lord Ram should not be questioned.