New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) The recent protests against the Ramcharitmanas are part of a "conspiracy" by the SP and the RJD to create divisions in the Hindu society with an eye on elections, the VHP alleged on Monday.
In a video message, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar termed the protests an attack on societal unity and demanded legal action against all those involved.
"All of a sudden, protests against Sri Ramcharitmanas began, its pages were burnt and it was said that it is against Dalits, women and OBC. It's certainly the politics of (late) Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad,” the VHP leader said, referring to the founders of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
"It's a conspiracy to break away Scheduled Caste members from the Hindu society, a game plan for the next election, a move to form 'bheem and meem' (Dalit-Muslim) combination,” he charged.
Kumar, however, asserted that the alleged conspiracy will not succeed.
From the streets to the courtroom, the VHP will oppose “such people and such tendencies” while remaining within the framework of the law and the Constitution, he added.
"Ram ji is the one who unites. Ram ji is the symbol of national unity and harmony in India and he will continue to remain so,” the VHP leader said.
A huge political row on the issue erupted after Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar earlier this month made certain remarks about the Ramcharitmanas.
While the row over the Bihar minister's remarks was yet to settle down, SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya on January 22 alleged that certain portions of the "Ramcharitmanas" insult a large section of society on the basis of caste, and demanded that they be "banned".
Following a complaint over Maurya’s remarks, the Uttar Pradesh police lodged an FIR against the SP leader on January 24.
A group called Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha on Sunday burnt photocopies of some pages of the Ramcharitmanas.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday said it has named 10 people, including Maurya, in the FIR after the group burnt pages of the Ramcharitmanas. PTI PK SMN