Maurya's remarks 'personal'; Samajwadi Party follows ideals of Lord Rama: Shivpal Yadav

Distancing his party from Swami Prasad Maurya's controversial remarks on Ramcharitmanas, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday said the party follows the ideals of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna and that Maurya's statement was his ''personal opinion''. SP MLC Maurya had kicked up a controversy by alleging that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination.

Maurya, who is considered a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh, said certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas ''insult'' a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be ''banned''. Asked about Maurya's remarks, Yadav told reporters in Etawah, ''It was his personal statement and not of the party. We are the people who follow the ideals of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna and take the path shown by them.'' ''Does the BJP follow the ideals of Lord Rama?'' he asked. The senior party leader further said that there is ''an anti-BJP atmosphere'' and people will bring back the Samajwadi Party government.

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