"Looks Like They Worship Babur": Minister Slams Bihar Leader Over Ram Temple Remark

Displeased over the remarks made by RJD minister Chandra Shekhar, Union Minister Nityanand Rai launched an attack on the opposition and asked what is their enmity with Lord Ram and Ram Mandir.

RJD Minister Chandra Shekhar sparked off yet another controversy with his statements on the Ram Temple and said that if the people fall sick or get injured they will seek medical attention rather than visiting a temple.

Reacting strongly to the statement made by RJD minister Chandra Shekhar, Nityanand Rai said, "I don't understand what enmity they have with Lord Ram and the Ram Temple that they are opposing it again and again. The intentions and policy that they are showing, it looks like they will hang pictures of Babar and Afzal Guru and worship them," he said.

"The country needs Ashfaqulla Khan and Captain Hamid, not Babur, Afzal Guru or Jinnah's 'jinn'. Here, Lord Ram's integrity is needed," the minister added.

Earlier today, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan also slammed the Bihar education minister for his harsh comments against Ram Mandir and Hindutva.

Paswan said that the ministers making such derogatory statements should be "sacked immediately".

"It is beyond my understanding that instead of worrying about his own department, why he is worried about abusing Sanatana Dharma. What surprises me is why his party's leadership and friends in the alliance tolerate this," Paswan told ANI on Monday.

"You are hurting people's sentiments and instigating them. Ministers making such statements should be sacked immediately...If their alliance has lost elections in the past, it is due to such statements," he added.

RJD minister Chandra Shekhar triggered a faceoff over his pseudo-Hinduvaad and pseudo-nationalism comment ahead of the grand inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

"If you get injured, where will you go? Temple or hospital? If you want education and want to become an officer, MLA, or MP, will you go to a temple or school?" Shekhar told reporters on Sunday.

"Fateh Bahadur Singh (RJD MLA) said the same thing that had been said by Savitribai Phule. What is wrong here? He quoted Savitribai Phule. Isn't education necessary? We should be cautious of pseudo-Hinduvaad and pseudo-nationalism," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)