A massive political row erupted in Bihar over Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh’s remarks that “Maa Durga is imaginary”, with the Opposition BJP terming the RJD leader’s objectionable statement against a Hindu deity “minority appeasement”.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Singh said that “Manuwadis” wrote that Godess Durga fought with Mahishasura’s army of crores of demons and asked where was she when handful of British enslaved India.
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“According to Manuwadis there are 33 crore Gods and Goddesses. India’s population during the British period was 30 crores. When the country was enslaved, where was Maa Durga at that time and why did she not kill the British people? Maa Durga is imaginary,” Singh said.
The RJD MLA further asked, “Who are those Manuwadis wrote that Maa Durga fought with crores of army against Mahishasura? What was Maa Durga doing at the time when a handful of British enslaved India?”
His remarks didn’t go down well with the Opposition BJP in Bihar and the saffron party accused the ruling alliance of “minority appeasement. Union Minister Giriraj Singh slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Yadav for “insulting Sanatana Dharma”.
The Union Minister said that both, Nitish and Lalu, were testing the tolerance of the Hindus by allowing their leaders to make such remarks.
“In Bihar, there is a government of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, and their leaders are continuously attacking Sanatan Dharma. It seems the tolerances of Hindus is being tested. If similar statements were made against Islam, then surely, they would be beheaded,” Giriraj Singh said.
Earlier last month, Bihar Education Minister and senior RJD leader Chandrashekhar has triggered a similar controversy when he said that the Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem based on the Ramayana, “spread hatred in society”.
