'Hindu Dharm Ek Dhokha Hai': Swami Prasad Maurya's Remark Sparks Fresh Row, BJP Slams I.N.D.I.A

Swami Prasad Maurya's remark on 'Hindu deception' triggered a fresh controversy with the BJP leaders training guns at the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and also demanding an FIR against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya has sparked a fresh controversy with his comments on Hinduism during the Bahujan Samaj Rights Conference at Jantar Mantar. Maurya's remarks referring to Hinduism as a "deception" have drawn criticism from various quarters, leading to a call for restraint from within his party.

Addressing the gathering, Maurya stated, "Hindu ek dhokha hai (Hindu religion is a kind of deception)." He cited the statements made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who have previously asserted that Hinduism is more a way of life than a religion. 

"Similarly, in 1995, the Supreme Court had said that Hindu is not a religion, it is a way of life. Is. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also said twice that there is no religion called Hindu, rather it is an art of living. Prime Minister Modi has also said that Hinduism is not a religion... When these people make such statements, sentiments are not hurt but if Swami Prasad Maurya says the same thing -- Hinduism is deception, and for some people, it is their business -- then it causes an earthquake in the entire country," he remarked.

Reacting to Maurya's statements, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav advised against making comments on religion and caste. Speaking to representatives of Kannauj's Prabuddha Samaj and Maha Brahmin Samaj Panchayat in Lucknow, Yadav emphasised the need to curb such statements to maintain harmony.

Acknowledging objections raised by some party workers, Akhilesh Yadav affirmed, "This thing should be curbed at any cost", as per news agency IANS. Earlier, Brahmin leaders within the party had expressed discontent over Maurya's controversial statements.

This is not the first time Maurya has courted controversy. Earlier this year, he stirred a heated debate by alleging that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas insulted a large section of society based on caste, calling for their ban. 

Swami Prasad Maurya Working On The Directions Of BJP: SP Leader

In response to the controversy, Samajwadi Party spokesperson IP Singh alleged that Maurya was covertly working for the BJP. "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at us. Your daughter is a BJP MP, deeply rooted in Sanatan traditions. When Swami Prasad Maurya was a Cabinet Minister with the BJP for five years, he did not utter a word about Hinduism. I think Swami Ji is working on the directions of the BJP," he remarked.

Akhilesh Yadav had also previously warned Maurya against comments on religion and caste, stating, "The party will clamp down on such matters. Measures will be taken to curb such things."

BJP Slams Swami Prasad Maurya's Remarks, Demands Action Against SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav

Meanwhile, several BJP leaders have strongly condemned Maurya's remarks. BJP MP Subrat Pathak urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to file an FIR against Akhilesh Yadav and take strict action. Union Minister Narayan Rane stated, "Such a person cannot be a citizen of India," and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi accused Maurya and other opposition leaders of insulting Sanatana Dharma and Hindu religion.

“In UP, SP leader, Swami Prasad Maurya, has again insulted Hindus. I believe that he is just a puppet in the hands of SP President, Akhilesh Yadav, and Sonia Gandhi. I request that UP CM Yogi Adityanath immediately register an FIR against (Akhilesh) Yadav and take strict action against him,” BJP MP Subrat Pathak said, as per news agency PTI.

Speaking to ANI, former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi trained guns at the I.N.D.I.A. bloc saying, "People Of INDIA alliance such as Swami Prasad Maurya, Udhayanidhi Stalin or Dayanidhi Maran all of these are up to insulting Sanatana Dharma and Hindu religion. Swami Prasad spoke a lot about Ramcharitmanas, they think that by abusing the Hindu religion, they'll get the votes of backward communities but they forget that people from backward communities worship Lord Ram and Lord Krishna more than others. After making such statements, they would have to face difficulties in the upcoming elections."

Maurya, a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh, resigned as a Cabinet Minister in the BJP government and joined the Samajwadi Party before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.