Lord Ram was a meat eater: NCP leader Jitendra Awhad's video kicks up a row
In the video shared by Arun Yadav, BJP Haryana’s social media head, Awhad can be heard saying Lord Ram would have eaten meat due to the lack of vegetarian food in the forest during his exile.
- Jan 4, 2024,
- Updated Jan 4, 2024 11:28 AM IST
Jitendra Awhad, a leader from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, kicked up row after a purported video of his claiming Lord Ram consumed meat became viral.
In the video shared by Arun Yadav, BJP Haryana’s social media head, Awhad can be heard saying Lord Ram would have eaten meat due to the lack of vegetarian food in the forest during his exile.
“Lord Ram was not a vegetarian, he was a non-vegetarian. Where would a person living in the forest for 14 years go to find vegetarian food? Is it correct or not?,” Awhad said in the video. He was addressing a crowd of party workers in Shirdi.
"We don’t read history and forget everything in politics. Ram is ours. Of us Bahujans. Who used to hunt to eat… Ram was never a vegetarian."
BJP leaders have called for action against him, demanding immediate arrest of the NCP leader.
Awhad’s statement came days after ruling BJP MLA Ram Kadam wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanding January 22 — the day the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated — be declared as dry day and non-vegetarian food banned for a day.
Awhad, however, stood by his statement. “My statements were factual. A systematic attempt is being made to make Ram a vegetarian. Over 80% people of this country are non-vegetarian and they are devotees of Lord Ram,” he said.
The video comes when the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple is in full swing. The ceremony, which is scheduled for January 22, has triggered tussle between the Narendra Modi-led NDA government and the opposition bloc INDIA over invites.
Jitendra Awhad, a leader from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, kicked up row after a purported video of his claiming Lord Ram consumed meat became viral.
In the video shared by Arun Yadav, BJP Haryana’s social media head, Awhad can be heard saying Lord Ram would have eaten meat due to the lack of vegetarian food in the forest during his exile.
“Lord Ram was not a vegetarian, he was a non-vegetarian. Where would a person living in the forest for 14 years go to find vegetarian food? Is it correct or not?,” Awhad said in the video. He was addressing a crowd of party workers in Shirdi.
"We don’t read history and forget everything in politics. Ram is ours. Of us Bahujans. Who used to hunt to eat… Ram was never a vegetarian."
BJP leaders have called for action against him, demanding immediate arrest of the NCP leader.
Awhad’s statement came days after ruling BJP MLA Ram Kadam wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanding January 22 — the day the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated — be declared as dry day and non-vegetarian food banned for a day.
Awhad, however, stood by his statement. “My statements were factual. A systematic attempt is being made to make Ram a vegetarian. Over 80% people of this country are non-vegetarian and they are devotees of Lord Ram,” he said.
The video comes when the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple is in full swing. The ceremony, which is scheduled for January 22, has triggered tussle between the Narendra Modi-led NDA government and the opposition bloc INDIA over invites.