RJD MLA’s ‘Mental Slavery’ Remark Ahead Of Ram Temple Event Stirs Row. Here’s Who Said What

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Monday targeted the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance over the statement by an RJD MLA that stirred controversy. Last Monday, RJD MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh put up a poster describing temples as a “path to mental slavery” ahead of the consecration ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The poster, commemorating the birth anniversary of social reformist Savitri Bai Phule, featured a quote by her emphasising temple as “a path to mental slavery”, while referring to schools as the way to “enlightenment in life”.

On Monday, the controversy was fuelled after Bihar education minister and RJD leaeder Chandra Shekhar backed Singh’s statement saying that people should be catious of pseudo-Hinduvaad and pseudo-nationalism.

“If you get injured, where will you go? Temple or hospital? If you want education and want to become an officer, MLA, or MP, will you go to a temple or school? Fateh Bahadur Singh (RJD MLA) said the same thing that had been said by Savitribai Phule,” said the Bihar minister on Sunday, according to ANI.

“What is wrong here? He quoted Savitribai Phule. Isn’t education necessary?…We should be cautious of pseudo-Hinduvaad and pseudo-nationalism,” he said. 

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“When Lord Ram resides in each one of us and everywhere, where will you go to look for him?…The sites that have been allocated have been made into sites of exploitation, used for filling the pockets of a few conspirators in society,” said the RJD leader. 

Reacting to Chandra Shekhar’s comments, NDA ally LJP(Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan said that the statement hurted people’s sentiments and instigated them.

“It is beyond my understanding that instead of worrying about his own department why he is worried about abusing Sanatana Dharma…What surprises me is why his party’s leadership and friends in the alliance tolerate this,” Paswan said on Monday while speaking to ANI.

“You are hurting people’s sentiments and instigating them. Ministers making such statements should be sacked immediately…If their alliance has lost elections in the past, it is due to such statements,” he added.