Ramcharitmanas row: Case lodged against Samajwadi Party's Swami Prasad Maurya, eight others in Gwalior

Gwalior Crime Branch police have registered a case against SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya and eight others for over his contoversial remarks against Ramcharitmanas.

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): A case has been registered here against Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya and eight others for hurting religious sentiments and disturbing social harmony over his contoversial remarks against Ramcharitmanas. Acting on a complaint of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha office bearer Praveen Chaudhary, the case was registered at Gwalior Crime Branch police station yesterday.

According to an FIR, a copy of which is with ANI, Chaudhary submitted a written complaint demanding legal action against the said persons. Acting on it, the case was registered under IPC sections 153A and 295 at Gwalior Crime Branch police station.

On Thursday, Hindu Mahasabha national vice president Jaiveer Bharadwaj has also submitted a memorandum to Gwalior Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amit Sanghi demanding action against Maurya. Later, Bharadwaj said that action had been taken against those who insulted Ramcharitmanas and a case had been registered. They would have to apologise.

"I thanked the police administration and the district administration for taking action," he added. Last month, Maurya sparked a controversy after he demanded the deletion of "insulting comments and sarcasm" targeted at particular castes and sects in Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic Ramayana. Maurya further claimed that in the Ramcharitmanas, which was composed by Tulsidas, there are words hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community.

Earlier, Hindu Mahasabha also sent a letter 'written in blood' to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding action against SP leader Maurya over his remarks against Ramcharitmanas. The Hindu Mahasabha cannot and will not tolerate the disrespect of Ramcharitmanas and the Hindu saints, said Bharadwaj here on Wednesday while talking to ANI.

"The Hindu Mahasabha in Lucknow also lodged an FIR against the SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya but till now the Uttar Pradesh government has not arrested him. By writing a letter in blood, we demand Swami Prasad Maurya's immediate arrest," he then said.

On January 30, Maurya also took a jibe at Mahant Raju Das by stating that he could have just cursed him instead of spending Rs 21 lakh to get him killed. In his tweet, SP MLC Maurya stated, "A baba (seer) who claims to do the impossible is very popular nowadays. What kind of a baba are you? Despite having the most powerful back, you are offering a bounty to get me killed. You could have simply cursed. You could have also saved Rs 21 lakh and people could see your real face."

On January 28 too, the SP leader said he will continue to oppose the "conspiracy to humiliate tribals, Dalits-backwards and women" in the name of religion. "Just as an elephant does not change its gait due to barking of dogs, in the same way, I will not change my point until they are given their duly respected," he said in a tweet. (ANI)