Amid the legal tussle over the survey of Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, the Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Swami Prasad Maurya on Wednesday said many Hindu temples presently in India were Buddhist religious places in the past adding that such Hindu temples were built by demolishing Buddhist monasteries and temples and if the survey is taking place, it should also be surveyed what was before the Hindu temple.
“The matter (Gyanvapi issue) is under consideration in the court, it will be not right to comment over it. But, if the survey is taking place, it should also be surveyed what was before the Hindu temple. I believe most of the present Hindu temples were Buddhist religious places like temples, monasteries or learning centres. They (Hindu temples) have been constructed after demolishing them,” said Mr. Maurya, a former U.P. Minister.
The SP leader added that the ruling BJP is intentionally bringing polarising issues to the forefront to gain political dividends before elections. “The BJP creates communal division in the society among Hindus and Muslims by intentionally bringing polarising issues on the forefront to gain political dividend before elections,” he added.
Mr. Maurya, who joined the SP before the 2022 Assembly polls after resigning from the BJP and the post of cabinet Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government alleging injustice to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the saffron camp is known for giving controversial remarks. In January he said objectionable language was used against backwards, Dalits and Adivasis in the Ramcharitmanas written by Tulsidas, leading to an uproar with Hindu Right-Wing organisations filing a police complaint against the former Minister.
