AAP slams NDA govt over induction of Manjhi in Cabinet, cites his insulting remarks on Lord Ram

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday trained its guns at the NDA government over the induction of Jitan Ram Manjhi in the Union Cabinet despite the latter’s demeaning remarks on Lord Ram and asked whether the BJP concurs with his beliefs that the Hindu deity is a fictional and imaginary character.

Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder, Jitan Ram Manjhi, is the Dalit face from Bihar and won the 2024 elections from Gaya Lok Sabha constituency.

He was appointed as a Cabinet minister in Modi 3.0 and given charge of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

AAP MP, Sanjay Singh, while addressing the media said that the BJP and the NDA government must explain why it appointed a person who questioned the existence of Lord Ram.

Sanjay Singh asked whether the NDA government has ‘compromised’ with its religious beliefs for the sake of power.

“He is the same person who said that Ravan is greater than Lord Ram, he doesn’t believe in the Hindu scripture Ramcharitmanas,” said the AAP MP.

“Today I want to ask the BJP, the RSS and the Modi government whether Lord Ram is a fictional character, whether they believe Ravan was greater than Lord Ram,” he further stated and demanded that PM Modi and the BJP clarify their stance.

Notably, Jitan Ram Manjhi while speaking at a public gathering in 2022, said that Lord Ram was a “mythical character” and “Ravan was more well-versed than the Hindu deity in rituals.”

The HAM chief found himself at the receiving end also, with many Hindutva outfits and others venting their anger at him.

The AAP MP also sought to draw conclusions over the drubbing of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and said that the ruling party paid the price for its “anti-OBC, anti-Dalit” mindset.

“After Akhilesh Yadav demitted the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office, the BJP workers washed it with Gangajal. When Akhilesh and his wife visited a temple in Kannauj, they claimed to purify it with Gangajal,” he said and added that the Backward Classes, minorities as well as Dalits of Uttar Pradesh have “punished” the ruling party for its disdain and disrespect towards people hailing from backward communities.