Temples are path to mental slavery: Bihar education minister

Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar reiterated that temples are the path to "mental slavery" while schools mean the path of light in life, extending support to party MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh whose similar statement drew the ire of a fringe outfit that announced a "reward" of Rs 10 lakh to cut off his tongue.

Addressing a function in Rohtas district to mark the birth anniversary of social reformer Savitri Bai Phule on Sunday, Chandrashekhar, an Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, criticised the Ram temple in Ayodhya, calling it "a site of exploitation to fill pockets".

"The site that has been allotted for the Ram temple is simply the site of exploitation. It is a place to fill the pockets of some conspirators from a certain community. We should be aware of pseudo Hindutva and pseudo nationalism. Lord Ram lives in each one of us and everywhere, there is no need to go anywhere or in any temple to find Lord Ram," he said at the function organised by Singh.

Temples are the path to mental slavery, while schools mean the path of light in life, Chandrashekhar added.

"Where will you go if you get injured? Temple or hospital? If you want education and want to become an officer, MLA or MP, will you go to a temple or a school? Fateh Bahadur Singh said the same thing that Savitr Bai Phule had said," he asserted.

Chandrashekhar said that "conspirators" against Singh's statement announced a price for his tongue.

Referring to Mahabharata, he said, "Now, this Eklavya's son will not give up his thumb. Now, people know how to make offerings. Conspirators should remember that the 'Bahujan' people will sweat so much that it will become an ocean and the opponents will be seen standing across the seven seas..(after the 2024 polls)".

Senior state BJP leader Nikhil Anand told PTI that with such statements RJD leaders were trying to please their Muslim voters.

"RJD is ready to go to any level to abuse Hindus and appease Muslims. Ayodhya and Mathura are the questions related to India's spiritual-cultural heritage and religious self-respect," he alleged.

"RJD leaders such as Chandrashekhar and Fateh Bahadur should ask their party supremo Lalu Prasad and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav why they recently went to Tirupati with their family and got tonsured. They should also tell us which religious rituals they follow at home," he said.