"Ones Criticising Ramcharitmanas Are Eunuchs": Nitish Kumar's Party Leader

A legislator of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Monday hurled invectives at those who spoke ill of the 'Ramcharitmanas', an apparent reference to ally RJD.

JD(U) MLC Maheshwar Singh was speaking at a function organized by party colleague and state unit vice president Sanjay Singh to observe the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap.

The CM, besides other top leaders of the party, also attended the function though they were not present on the dais when the MLC spoke and got carried away.

"Kshatriyas look up to Lord Rama as an ancestor. His ideals find the most eloquent expression in the Ramcharitmanas. Those who criticize the work are uneducated and uncouth (anpadh, ganwaar). They are like eunuchs (ye hijre log hain)", fumed the JD(U) leader.

The video clip of the JD(U) MLC has gone viral and speculations are rife that it might trigger a slugfest with RJD, which has so far not reacted.

Notably, a row had erupted when the state Education minister Chandra Shekhar, who belongs to the RJD, made controversial remarks about the popular version of Ramayana, penned by medieval saint-poet Goswami Tulsidas.

The minister's remarks, made at a recent convocation ceremony, were frowned upon by the Chief Minister who quickly sensed that the controversy would be exploited by the BJP-led opposition.

The minister, however, chose to dig in his heels despite having been asked by the CM to retract.

Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, the heir apparent to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, has also indicated that he was "not happy" with the minister.

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