Islam is the only religion that advocates love and peace: Bihar Education Minister

In the viral clip, Chandrashekhar says "Islam is the only religion that propagates the message of love and faith."

Patna, Jan 15: Days after creating a controversy over his remarks on Ramcharitmanas, a clip has now surfaced in which Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar is heard saying 'Islam is the only religion that advocates love and peace.

"Islam is the only religion that gives the message of love and honesty," the Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar says in the viral video. BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand, National General Secretary of BJP's OBC Morcha, shared the clip and lashed out at the Bihar leader for doing appeasement politics.

"Listen to this statement of Education Minister Chandrashekharji- Islam is the only one who gives the message of love and faith. The Education Minister gave a statement to appease Muslims under the agenda of RJD's appeasement politics! 'Mr maloom nahi chief minister', why are you silent on your cabinet minister's statement?" Anand tweeted.

According to an OpIndia report, he made the said comments at an Eid-Milan event in Madhepura in 2022. The Bihar Education had given a call to the people to chase out the 'enemies of peace' as the country belongs to everyone.

"Islam is the only religion that propagates the message of love and faith. I want to tell this to everyone and to the people of Madhepura and Bihar that we have to chase out the enemies of peace, we all have together made this country, this country does not belong to anyone's father (kisi ek ke bap ka dash nahi hai), that is why those who spread hatred should rot and the people of faith should be hailed (Nafrat failaney waalon ki kshay ho aur Imaan waalon ki jai ho)," he is quoted as saying.

Recently, the RJD leader had sparked a row, saying Ramcharitmanas penned by Saint Goswami Tulsidas spreads 'hatred' in society.

The Bihar Education Minister went on to say that some of its section targets the backward castes. He has stuck to his guns and added that Manu Smriti, Ramcharitmanas and Bunch of Thoughts (written by RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar) have promoted 'hatred' in the society. The RJD leader made controversial comments during the 15th convocation ceremony of the Nalanda Open University in Patna.

On whether he would apologise for his statement as the Opposition BJP has demanded, he said it is the saffron party which should apologise for not being aware of facts.

"Whatever I said is correct. I stand by my statement," the minister said, according to reports. "Ramcharitmanas was opposed because it said that the lower section of society becomes poisonous if they get educated. Books like Ramcharitmanas, Manusmriti and MS Golwalkar's Bunch of Thoughts created a social divide," Chandrashekhar had said.

"Manusmriti, Ramcharitmanas, Bunch of Thoughts by saffron ideologue Guru Golwalkar spread hatred. Love, not hatred, makes the country great," added Chandrashekhar.