Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Chief Minister of Bihar and an ally in the BJP-JDU government of the state, raised questions on Lord Ram while addressing the people in a program organized on the occasion of Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti at Sikandra in Jamui district on Thursday. He says, “Ram is not God, he is only the character of Tulsidas and Valmiki Ramayana.”
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HUM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said, “I don’t believe in Ram. Ram was not God. Ram was a character created by Tulsidas and Valmiki to spread their message.” He did not stop here, he further said, “They wrote the Ramayan and there are many good lessons in their writings. We believe that. We believe in Tulsidas and Valmiki, not Ram.”
“If you believe in Ram, then the story we always heard is that Ram ate fruit tasted by Shabari. You will not eat the fruit we bite into but at least eat what we touch,” Mr Manjhi said, apparently referring to the caste divide in the country.
Manjhi further said, “No one becomes big by worshiping. Scheduled caste people should stop worshiping. Brahmins who eat meat and drink alcohol, tell lies, one should stay away from them. They should not be worshipped.”
The issue of Manjhi’s statements on Lord Ram, Hindu religion and Brahmins is not new. He has done these things many times before. Manjhi had made such a controversial statement last year as well and said that he does not consider Ram as a god.