Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad is a member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. File
Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad has said Shringi Rishi Nishad and not King Dashrath was the father of Lord Ram, prompting the opposition to demand a reaction from the BJP over the remark by its ally.
Lord Ram was born following a yagya performed by Shringi Rishi, according to the scriptures. Portions of sweet kheer were distributed among Dashrath's wives after the ritual.
"No child can be born by feeding kheer," Mr Nishad, a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, said in a statement in Prayagraj today.
He argued that the yagya was just for "namesake" and called the kheer version a "respectful" story.
He referred to Lord Ram as Dashrath's "so-called son" and the saint's "real son".
Asked to comment on the sidelines of the Allahabad University convocation yesterday, BJP's election in-charge for the state and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Sanjay Nishad has said a lot of things to me as well. His party is part of the NDA and he is our good ally, and we will fight the elections together."
BJP state vice president Vijay Bahadur Pathak said he was not aware of Mr Nishad's remark.
The opposition, however, has sought to corner the ruling BJP on the issue.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief MP Asaduddin Owaisi demanded a clarification from RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Mr Nishad's statement and said BJP leaders should give an explanation.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said if Mr Nishad can talk in this manner after joining hands with the BJP, the ruling party should be asked about its stand on it.
He said Mr Nishad started talking about "Ram-Rahim" as soon as he came together with the BJP.
"Inflation, unemployment and development are our main issues. I think Nishad ji should talk on serious issues now that he has become an MLC," he said.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Lalan Kumar said Mr Nishad has lost his "mental balance" after allying with the BJP, and demanded an "unconditional apology" from him.
He said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sometimes "insults" Mother Sita and or calls Lord Hanuman a Dalit, and Mr Nishad too has become a victim of "mental bankruptcy".
He accused the BJP and its allies of trying to change "religious history and facts".
"The devout will not remain silent on this. The BJP, which is doing politics on Lord Ram and the temple, should clarify its stand on Nishad's statement," the Congress leader added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)