In a controversial statement, former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday said Lord Ram wasn't a God instead he was a character created by Tulsidas and Valmiki to spread their message. The Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) chief further said he reveres Tulsidas and Valmiki, but not Lord Ram. He was speaking at a public function at an event to mark the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
"Ram wasn't a God. Tulsidas-Valmiki created this character to say what they had to. They created 'kavya' & 'mahakavya' with this character. It states a lot of good things & we revere that. I revere Tulsidas-Valmiki but not Ram..," news agency ANI quoted Manjhi as saying.
Interestingly, Manjhi's party is a key BJP ally in Bihar. Also, his son Santosh Manjhi is in the Nitish Kumar-BJP cabinet in Bihar.
The HAM chief's comments came after some states reported clashes during processions taken out on Ram Navami, which is celebrated as the birth of Lord Ram.
