Ramcharitmanas Row: Hanuman Garhi Mahant announces ₹21 lakh bounty to behead Swami Prasad Maurya

Controversy over the remarks on Ramcharitmanas by Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya refuses to end as an organisation of backward classes came out in his support on Sunday.

The OBC Mahasabha burnt copies of Ramcharitmanas in Lucknow and extended its support to Maurya. However, soon after this a section of religious leader condemned this act and demanded action against Mahasabha workers.

On the other hand, the Mahant of Hanuman Garhi in Ayodhya, Raju Das announced a bounty of ₹21 lakh on the head of Maurya. He said anybody who beheads Maurya would get the cash prize from him.

Mahant Das said that Maurya has passed derogatory remarks against saints and seers and still SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has promoted him.

OBC Mahasabha burns holy books

He said that OBC Mahasabha has burnt copies of holy books at the behest of Maurya which is unfortunate. He demanded that state government should take stern action against the OBC Mahasabha failing which the Hindu community would punish these people.

What Maurya said on the Ramcharitmanas

On last Sunday, former minister and SP leader Maurya had termed Ramcharitmanas as orthodox literature and demanded ban on it or deletion of controversial remarks from it. He had stated that backwards and Dalits were abused in Ramcharit Manas should be ratified.

An FIR was lodged against Maurya on last Tuesday in Hazratganj police station of Lucknow under section 295 A, 298, 504, 505 (2) and 153A of Indian Penal Code (IPC).