Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday filed an FIR against CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in Haridwar over the latter’s remarks on Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Yechury has been accused of hurting the sentiments of Hindus by saying that “Ramayana and Mahabharata are also filled with instances of violence and battles”.
“It is an attempt by Yechury to defame the religion,” Ramdev said.
The FIR was registered under multiple sections with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Haridwar. Officials have been asked to look into the matter immediately.
Speaking at an event, Yechury said, “”Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said that Hindus don’t believe in violence. Many kings and principalities have fought battles in the country. Ramayana and Mahabharata are also filled with instances of violence and battles.”
“Being a pracharak, you narrate the epics but still claim Hindus can’t be violent? What is the logic behind saying there is a religion which engages in violence and we Hindus don’t?” Yechury added.
Yechury accused the BJP of consolidating the Hindutva vote bank by fielding Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur as a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.
The CPI(M) leader’s remark about the Hindu epics was criticised by BJP and Shiv Sena leaders.
Stating that Ramayana and Mahabharata have the central message of victory of good over evil, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said, “Sitaram Yechury’s ideology is his own. His ideology has only one objective, which is to attack Hindus and make oneself the premier secular person.”
According to reports, Raut also took a jibe at Yechury saying that the party should also change Kanhaiya Kumar’s name since Kanhaiya is another name of Lord Krishna.