BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule claims Lord Hanuman was a slave to manuwadi folks

Guwahati: Bahraich BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule on Tuesday claimed that Lord Hanuman was “a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ folks,” joining a row that erupted over UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statement that the supernatural being was a Dalit.

She alleged that Dalits and backward were being called ‘bandar’ (monkey) and ‘rakshas’ (demon). “Lord Hanuman was a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ folks. He was a Dalit and human. He did all for Lord Ram then why he was given a tail and his face was blackened. Why was he created a monkey?” Ms. Phule said.

“When he did all for Lord Ram with devotion, he (Lord Hanuman) should have been made a human and not a ‘bandar’ (monkey). At that point, additionally, he had to face humiliation because of being a Dalit. Why can’t we tend to Dalits be considered humans?” she told that to the media.

During a poll rally in Malakheda of Alwar district, Mr. Adityanath had said, “Lord Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit. Bajrang Bali worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west.”

After his statement, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar asked members of his community to require over all temples that belonging to Lord Hanuman. “Dalits should to take over all Hanuman temples within the country and appoint Dalits as priests there,” Mr. Chandrashekhar had aforementioned.

When asked about the Ram temple issue, which is pending in the Supreme Court, Ms. Phule said the BJP is raking up the matter as it has no other issues.

“The country doesn't need a temple. Will it end unemployment and different issues of Dalits and backwards? The temple can benefit Brahmins, who are solely 3%. The money offered in temples are employed by them for their gains and make our community (Dalit) their slave,” she said.

“We wish rights given to USA within the constitution,” the BJP MP aforementioned, adding that “Hamko adhikar chahiya warna kursi khali karo (Give USA our rights or leave the government)“.

Ms. Phule had earlier raised queries on BJP leaders eating at the homes of Dalits and had termed the founding father of Asian country Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali Jinnah, “a mahapurush” (great personality).

When asked to discuss the statement of Ms. Phule, BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan stated, “It appears she didn’t have a lot of information of Indian tradition.”

On her assaultive statement on the BJP and the Ram temple issue, he said he wouldn't wish to comment.

Also read: ‘BJP Not thinking of Ram Mandir Ordinance As of now’