Budaun: Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi on Thursday called Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who demanded a ban on a portion of Shri Ramcharitmanas, to demon king 'Ravan'. The minister made the remark in a press conference during her visit to the centers for the UP Board Examination. "Even Ravan did not believe in Ramcharitmanas," Gulab Devi said adding, "But Ravan had Ram in his heart. He went to heaven but what was his condition before that?”


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“Ramcharitmanas is a scripture full of qualities of humanity. It is a question of our faith," the UP minister said. "There is an emptiness in the hearts of those who do not believe this. They are criticising Ramcharitmanas to make their politics shine," she said.


Swami Prasad Maurya, a Legislative Council member and a prominent OBC face of the Samajwadi Party, had in a statement last month demanded a ban on a couplet from Shri Ramcharitmanas, terming it “derogatory” towards Dalits and women.


Referring to the Kanpur Dehat incident where a woman and her daughter immolated themselves during an anti-encroachment drive, the minister said, "it was heart-wrenching." "There should be no politics on this. One should sympathise with the survivors of the victim's family. The government should compensate them. Action is being taken against the culprits," she said.


Despite his criticism over his remarks, Maurya remained defiant and said, "I will continue to oppose the conspiracies of insulting tribals, Dalits, backwards and women in the name of religion. The way an elephant is unperturbed by barking dogs and does not change its path, I too will not change my stance towards getting dignity for those (tribals, Dalits, backwards and women)." He was later appointed general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, which evoked a sharp attack from the BJP.


Recently, a video showing a scuffle between the supporters of Ayodhya seer Mahant Raju Das and Samajwadi Party leader Swami Maurya at a five-star hotel in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow surfaced on social media.


The viral video showed supporters of Samajwadi Party leader and Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi Mahant Raju Das jostling and fighting with each other during an event organised by a private TV news channel.