LUCKNOW: Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Monday launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya for his controversial remarks on Goddess Lakshmi. This comes just days after Maurya stirred a heated debate by criticising the 'Sanatan Dharma.'' While speaking to ANI, Krishnam did not mince words, stating, "Swami Prasad Maurya has piles in his mouth. He needs treatment. I will ask Yogi Adityanath to impose a ban on Maurya speaking."


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Maurya's Objectionable Post


Swami Prasad Maurya, the Samajwadi Party MLA, again courted controversy with his provocative statements, this time taking aim at Goddess Lakshmi. On the occasion of Diwali, Maurya posted on social media platform X, questioning the depiction of Goddess Lakshmi. His post raised eyebrows and led to widespread trolling by users.


Maurya, in his social media post, argued, "If all children born in the world have two hands, two feet, two ears, and two eyes, how can Goddess Lakshmi have four hands?'' Maurya was brutally trolled by social media users for this provocative post on Diwali. It's worth noting that this is not the first time Maurya has sparked controversy, having previously made contentious statements about Lord Rama, the Ramcharitmanas, and Brahmins, leading to the filing of an FIR against him.


In his post, Swami Prasad Maurya wrote, "On the occasion of the festival of lights, while worshipping and honouring my wife, I want to emphasize that every child born in the world, regardless of religion, caste, race, colour, or country, is born with two hands, two feet, two ears, two eyes, a nose with two nostrils, and one head, stomach, and back. A child with four hands, eight hands, ten hands, twenty hands, or a thousand hands has never been born. So how can a four-handed Lakshmi be born? If you truly want to worship Goddess Lakshmi, honour and worship the women in your households who are the true embodiment of the goddess. They faithfully fulfil the responsibilities of nurturing and caring for the family's well-being, prosperity, sustenance, and overall welfare."


 



 


Maurya's Post Evokes Mixed Response From Users


Following Maurya's controversial remarks, some individuals expressed support, while others initiated trolling campaigns. One user commented, "Before worshipping your wife, you should worship your mother. However, as soon as someone abandons Hinduism, they forget their values, neglect their upbringing, and even forget their parents."


Another user, supportive of Maurya, argued, "If the mother is alive, she should be honoured and worshipped. If not, then the wife should be honoured and worshipped. Worshipping a stone idol will yield nothing. However, hypocrites and superstitious people cannot comprehend this." It's worth mentioning that Swami Prasad Maurya had previously made controversial statements about Lord Rama and the Ramcharitmanas, causing a significant uproar.


As the controversy surrounding Swami Prasad Maurya's remarks continues, it remains to be seen how political leaders, his own party and the public will navigate the intersection of religious beliefs and freedom of expression.


Swami Prasad Maurya is a member of the Samajwadi Party and also a member of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Born on January 2, 1954, in Pratapgarh, Maurya is married to Shiva Maurya. The couple has two children. Maurya's daughter Sanghmitra is a BJP MP and represents Badaun in the Lok Sabha. Maurya hails from the other backward class (OBC) community. He graduated from Allahabad University and received degrees of Bachelor of Laws and Master of Arts (LLB).