Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath was been criticized by the opposition for his comment on the caste of Lord Hanuman in Rajasthan. Now, a minister in his own government has also strongly criticized Chief Minister’s remark.
While addressing a public meeting in Shamli district, state minister Om Prakash Rajbhar who holds backward classes welfare ministry in UP, said that it was wrong to divide Gods into castes.
“This controversy has caused the Dalit community to demand to takeover Hanuman temples,” said Rajbhar.
Rajbhar’s statement came in the wake of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Ravan’s statement, “Dalits should take over all Hanuman temples in the country and appoint Dalits as priests there.”
Yogi’s comment on Lord Hanuman has invited him a legal notice from a right-wing group “Rajasthan Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha.” Congress has also urged the Election Commission to take action against Yogi for posing a threat to communal harmony in Rajasthan.
Yogi, while urging the crowd to take a “Bajrangi sankalp (vow)” to vote the BJP candidate in the December 7 elections, said,”Bajrang Bali (Hanuman) is such a god that he is a forest-dweller, lives in the mountains. Dalits, deprived, he takes everyone along, from east to west, north to south, and unites them all.”
Referring to a video of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath appealing to Muslim leaders to ensure maximum votes for Congress in MP, Yogi said: “I recently read a statement by Kamal Nathji that the Congress does not need Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes votes. The Congress only wants Muslim votes… Keep your Ali, Bajrang Bali is enough for us.”