UP minister slams Swami Prasad Maurya over comments on Hinduism

Ballia; Uttar Pradesh Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh on Monday accused SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya of making baseless statements against the Hindu community, saying people have rejected him.

He was apparently referring to the opposition leader’s controversial remarks on Goddess Laxmi, Ramcharitamanas and Hindu temples.

Singh further said Maurya gives "baseless statements" to remain in news and his political career is over.

Speaking to reporters in Ballia, Dayashankar said, "Ever since Maurya's defeat in the last Assembly elections, he has become distracted ('vichlit'). To remain in the news, he makes baseless statements on the Hindu community.

"Maurya's politics is over. People no longer pay attention to him, and the public has rejected him." Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader in the UP Legislative Assembly Uma Shankar Singh said, "May god give wisdom to SP leader Maurya. Maurya or anyone can follow any religion, but it is not appropriate to comment on any religion.'' Recently, Maurya had questioned how goddess Lakshmi can have four hands, triggering a row.

The leader had earlier made controversial remarks on Ramcharitmanas and the Badrinath shrine.

In a post on X on November 12, Maurya said he worshipped his wife on Diwali as she is, in a true sense, a "devi".

"... every child born in every religion, caste, race, colour and country of the whole world has two hands, two legs, two ears, two eyes and a nose with two holes. There is only one head, stomach and back; if a child with four hands, eight hands, ten hands, twenty hands and a thousand hands has not been born till date, then how can Lakshmi be born with four hands?" Maurya had said.

"If you want to worship goddess Lakshmi, then worship and respect your wife who is a goddess in true sense because she fulfils the responsibility of nurturing, happiness, prosperity, food and care of your family with great devotion," read his post.

Maurya, a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh who had defected to the SP from the BJP just before the 2022 Assembly elections, has been in the thick of a controversy over his remarks on the Ramcharitmanas and Hindu temples.