Protecting women, Dalits, backwards not religious issue: SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Monday said protecting the country's women, tribals, Dalits and backwards from insults and ensuring respect for them is not a religious issue.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the SP instructing its leaders to refrain from debating on religious matters.

Maurya had triggered a controversy recently with his statement on Ramcharitmanas. He had demanded a ban on certain verses in the Hindu epic.

Asked by reporters in the Assembly about his party's instructions to its leaders not to debate on religious issues, the SP national general secretary said, "Protecting the country's women, tribals, Dalits and backwards from insults and giving them respect is not a religious issue."

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Replying to another question on the SP describing his remarks on Ramcharitmanas as his personal statement, Maurya said there is no point raising an old issue. However, he added that he sticks to his stand on whatever he had said about certain verses in it.

"I have written a letter to the prime minister for the removal of certain verses from Ramcharitmanas," the SP leader said.

On his party sacking two women leaders recently, he said it was "disciplinary action" and not "atrocity on women".

The two leaders were sacked from the SP for attacking the party leadership on its stand on Ramcharitmanas.