The current episode comes months after his comments on the Ramcharitmanas, post which he has constantly attacked Hindu Dharma and Hindu saints and now he has once again made it to the limelight because of his statement about Hindu Dharma. This time, the Samajwadi Party leader said that “Hindu Dharma is not a religion, it is just a hoax.” 

Swami Prasad Maurya shared a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account, where he is seen giving a speech about Hindu Dharma. He says, “The roots of Brahminism are very deep and the reason for all disparity is also Brahminism itself. There is no religion called Hindu, Hinduism is just a deception. They have renamed “Brahminism” as Hindu religion in this country. This is a conspiracy to trap the Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs in the web of their religion.” 

He also said, “If Hinduism was a religion, then tribals would have been respected, Dalits would have been respected, backward people would have been respected but what an irony”. He went on to say that despite celebrating Amrit Kaal, India’s 75th year of Independence, the first citizen of our country, President Draupadi Murmu was prevented from entering a temple because she comes from the tribal society. He also claimed that a cabinet minister under her was able to enter the temple in her presence because he was of a higher caste. So, he went on to “question”, that if the Adivasi society was Hindu, would they have been treated like this?”

This fake news has been debunked several times and yet politicians like Swami Prasad Maurya continue milking it. 

He also claims that former President, Ramnath Kovind was also treated similarly, not allowed to enter a temple because he is a Dalit.

He said, “Rajasthan Pushkar Brahma temple, he was not allowed inside the temple. you may give your life and blood for them but they will not give you the respect you deserve because they consider you as neech and adham, and they think it is their religion and duty to insult you. so don’t be fooled. what you call as Hindu religion and follow so fanatically, you give it your all, indulge in communal riots, and shed blood, it is your naivety, be alert. what you believe is religion, it is their business. It may be a religion for you but for them, it is a business, so be alert.”

This was again a fake news that was debunked a long time ago.

Not the first time Swami Prasad Maurya has made hateful comments

In January 2023, he claimed that there are tens of millions of people who either haven’t read or currently do not read Ramcharitmanas. He argued that it was during the British colonial era that Dalits were granted the right to read and write, and women gained the opportunity for literacy under British rule. He also criticised the Ramcharitmanas, describing it as “all nonsense.” Maurya called on the government to either remove the objectionable parts of Ramcharitmanas or consider banning the entire book. According to him, this particular religious text unfairly portrays ‘Shudras’ in a lower caste, and he contended that Tulsidas wrote the text primarily for his own personal happiness.

In April 2023, an FIR was lodged against Maurya in Rae Bareli in connection with a video that allegedly showed him making an “objectionable comment on Lord Ram”. This is the fourth FIR lodged against Maurya this year. In the video, Maurya can be heard saying — “Mile Mulayam Kanshi Ram…” and pauses for the crowd to complete the sentence saying “…Hawa main ud gaye Jai Shri Ram” — a contentious political slogan that was coined in the early 1990s.

Swami Prasad Maurya does not stop abusing and speaking ill of Hinduism and Hindus, will another FIR be lodged against him this year again?