"Don't Believe In Ramcharitmanas": Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party MLA

Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pallavi Patel on Sunday said she does 'not believe' in Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic Ramayana, adding that there needs to be a revolution to erase certain 'insulting words' from the verses from people's minds.

Addressing mediapersons on Sunday, the SP MLA said, "There are numerous volumes (of Valmiki's Ramayana) and many writers have contributed to it. Those who translated Ramcharitmanas inducted some parts of Ramayana and added their thoughts."

She further said it is important to erase those words from people's minds.

"It is not important to exclude a paragraph or word. Those paragraphs or words are imprinted on people's souls and minds. So if we have to remove them, we need to expand our movement so much that those words are erased from people's souls," said Ms Patel.

Asked why the paragraphs should be removed, she said, "They are wrong as there is a reference to Shudras."

"I don't believe in Ramcharitmanas. A revolution should be orchestrated to erase these words from people's minds. I am travelling to spread the message of equality in society," she added.

"In Ramcharitmanas, it is written that a naari (women) should undergo punishment. I am a woman and I dare anyone to punish me," she added.

Last month, Swami Prasad Maurya sparked a controversy after he demanded the deletion of "insulting comments and sarcasm" targeted at particular castes and sects in Ramcharitmanas.

Mr Maurya further claimed that in the Ramcharitmanas, which was composed by Tulsidas, there are words hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community.

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