‘Hindu religion is fraud’: SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya triggers controversy, says ‘SC has said the same thing’ – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who is infamous for his controversial statements, recently sparked another controversy with his comments on Hinduism, saying, ‘Hindu ek dhokha hai’ and that ‘Hinduism is not a religion but a deceit and a means of livelihood for some.’
In his statement, Maurya referred to remarks made by Supreme Court, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bolster his claim.
“Hindu ek dhokha hai… In 1955, the Supreme Court said in its order that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life. It is a conglomeration of more than 200 religions. Even Mohan Bhagwat had said, not once but twice, that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that Hindu is not a religion. Even Gadkari had said the same thing in a media conclave,” Maurya said while speaking at National Buddhist and Bahujan Rights Conference in New Delhi on Monday.

The SP leader also questioned why no one’s sentiments get hurt when they say the same thing on Hinduism that he had said.
“But when they say these, no one’s sentiments get hurt but when Swami Prasad Maurya says that Hindu is not a religion but a betrayal and what we refer to as Hindu religion is a business for some people, the whole country gets into a storm,” Maurya said.
“When the Supreme Court said the same thing in 1955, no one took offence. But when Swami Prasad Maurya says it, FIRs are registered throughout the country. I am saying the same thing that the Indian Constituion is saying,” he added.
The Samajwadi Party leader said that the Hindu upper classes make use of the Bahujan vote bank to come into power, but after doing so they cancel reservations for them.
“Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas together make up eight per cent of the population. These eight per cent cannot form a government on its own. These have expolited the backward classes and formed the government in the name of Hindu. For the purpose of votes, we are Hindus. But after forming the government, we are no longer Hindus. If it had been the case, they would have never cancelled reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes or backward castes,” Maurya said.
The Samajwadi Party MLC said that those sitting at the top echelons of power are weakening democracy by doing away with reservations.
“Those who swear by the Constitution, the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers, those who are at the helm of power are prioritizing Manuvaad. The Constitution is being made ineffective…Reservations are being done away with. Even democracy is being weakened. Almost 150 MPs were disqualified from Parliament. Is it not a conspiracy against democracy? Is the government not imposing its say on its people?” Maurya said.
Swami Prasad Maurya, who came to limelight after stoking a major controversy with his ‘Ramcharitmanas’ comments had earlier said in August the Hinduism is a “betrayal”.
In a video posted on ‘X’ Maurya was heard saying, “The roots of Brahminism are very deep and the reason for all the disparity is also Brahminism. There is no religion called Hindu, Hinduism is just a hoax. There is a conspiracy to trap the Dalits, tribals and backward people of this country by calling the same Brahmin religion as Hindu religion.”
(With inputs from agencies)