Ramcharitmanas row: Supporters of Swami Prasad Maurya, seer clash in Lucknow

The supporters of Samajwadi Party national general secretary, Swami Prasad Maurya clashed with Raju Das, priest of Hanumangarhi temple, Ayodhya in a Lucknow hotel during a programme over the former’s remarks on Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas.

Das had announced a reward of ₹21 lakh for beheading Maurya who kickstarted a controversy on January 22 where he said that Ramcharitamanas, written by Tulsidas in the 17th century, promoted social discrimination and spread hatred.

“Religion is meant for the welfare of humanity and for strengthening it. If there is any insult to a section of society due to certain lines in the Ramcharitamanas on the basis of ‘jaati’, ‘varn’ and ‘varg’, then it is certainly not ‘dharma’, it is ‘adharma’. There are certain lines in which names of castes such as ‘teli’ and ‘kumhaar’ are mentioned,” the leader had said.

Later, Maurya said the saints and religious leaders who had announced reward on his head should be called terrorists and executioners.

Both Maurya and Das were invited in the programme organised by a news channel.

During the programme, supporters of Maurya and Das clashed in the hotel premises.

The video of the clash went viral on social media.

Das said, the incident took place as Maurya had demanded a ban on Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas and abused the Sanatan Dharma.

I will lodge FIR against Maurya and his supporters who attacked me when I was moving out of the hotel after the conclusion of the programme.

In a press statement, Maurya said he has lodged a complaint with police commissioner Lucknow and demanded extra security.

In the letter to police commissioner, Lucknow Maurya said, “I was invited as a guest in a programme organised by an electronic channel. While I was returning after the conclusion of the programme, Raju Das of Hanumangarhi, Ayodhya and Mahanth Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Chavni, Ayodhya attacked me with sword and axe. My supporters protected me from the attackers and escorted to the vehicle. I returned home, he said.