Sparks fly high over Bhagawan's remark on Lord Rama

The participants of a technical session on 'Neglected Sections of the People' held as part of the 83rd Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, at the Maharaja's College Centenary Hall here on Saturday, were divided and were also indulged in a war of words as controversial writer K S Bhagawan raked up the issues on Rama.

In the wake of the ongoing Dharma Samsad of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat in Udupi and the discussion on the construction of the Rama temple in Ayodhya, Bhagawan said, "The seers of various religious and spiritual institutions are discussing religion and construction of Ram Mandir, while we are discussing the problems of the neglected people and the downtrodden in the society, here."

"The media is also giving wider coverage to the Dharma Samsad, compared to the sammelana. They all worship Rama, who sent his pregnant wife to the forest. Rama is not God. The history of India is a bundle of lies. The governments are also trying to introduce these lies in the school curriculum. It is high-time people wake up and rebel against the seers and false historians, who have been fooling them since ages. All those people who worship Rama are slaves."

When a few people among the audience objected to his statements, he questioned them about their qualification and what they have read. While a few people supported Bhagawan, others shouted at Bhagawan and his supporters to withdraw his statements. When the situation was going out of control, as the audience was divided into two groups, the police personnel intervened and escorted Bhagawan to safety. The audience were also pacified.

Earlier, Bhagawan said, "There is no word or reference to the word 'Hindu' in any of the four Vedas or in the Puranas. If we research the origin of the word, it takes us to the year 1030. The Persian word 'Hindu' was mentioned instead of 'Sindhu' in the texts. The people living in the Sindhu River belt or Sindhu region thus came to be known as Hindus. But today people are dividing the society in the name of the Hindu religion."

Gauri Lankesh's murder

"There is a saying that people can rest in peace when they have a sudden demise. For me, the death of journalist Gauri Lankesh was sudden and peaceful. She died by advocating truth. I, sometimes wish to have a sudden death like her. Why not, everyone should die one or the other day. Hence, without suffering from any health issue, I wish to have a sudden death," said Bhagawan.