<p>Former Uttar Pradesh minister and senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya has found himself in the middle of yet another controversy, this time owing to his remarks on the 'demolition' of Buddhist monasteries and the construction of Hindu temples above them.</p>.<p>The SP leader's comments came as he advised the BJP to not "look for a temple in every mosque", warning the saffron party that if one goes looking, one is also likely to find erstwhile Buddhist monasteries underneath the ruins of Hindu temples.</p>.<p>"If you [BJP] look for temples in every mosque then the Buddhists will also look for a monastery in every temple... many Hindu temples had been built in the past after demolishing Buddhist monasteries," Maurya said.<br /> <br />''It is, therefore, better if we maintain the status of temples and mosques which were there in 1947,'' he added.</p>.<p><b>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/mayawati-slams-sps-swami-prasad-maurya-accuses-him-of-creating-religious-controversy-before-polls-1242164.html">Mayawati slams SP's Swami Prasad Maurya, accuses him of creating 'religious controversy' before polls</a></b></p>.<p>The SP leader said that there were references in some books that the Hindu shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Jagannathpuri had been "built" after "demolishing" Buddhist monasteries.</p>.<p>He called for peace and said that all should abide by the Constitution and any attempt to foment communal hatred should be condemned.</p>.<p>Maurya's remarks evoked a sharp response from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who said that the remarks were 'unfortunate' and condemnable. Dhami also asked SP president Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav, who hailed from Uttarakhand, to condemn the remarks.</p>.<p>Notably, Maurya is no stranger to stoking controversies. He had earlier termed the Hindu epic Ram Charit Manas as "anti-Dalit" and demanded a ban on it. "We respect all religions but there are certain lines in Ram Charit Manas which are anti-dalit...we can not accept it....we demand a ban on the epic," Maurya had said.</p>
<p>Former Uttar Pradesh minister and senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya has found himself in the middle of yet another controversy, this time owing to his remarks on the 'demolition' of Buddhist monasteries and the construction of Hindu temples above them.</p>.<p>The SP leader's comments came as he advised the BJP to not "look for a temple in every mosque", warning the saffron party that if one goes looking, one is also likely to find erstwhile Buddhist monasteries underneath the ruins of Hindu temples.</p>.<p>"If you [BJP] look for temples in every mosque then the Buddhists will also look for a monastery in every temple... many Hindu temples had been built in the past after demolishing Buddhist monasteries," Maurya said.<br /> <br />''It is, therefore, better if we maintain the status of temples and mosques which were there in 1947,'' he added.</p>.<p><b>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/mayawati-slams-sps-swami-prasad-maurya-accuses-him-of-creating-religious-controversy-before-polls-1242164.html">Mayawati slams SP's Swami Prasad Maurya, accuses him of creating 'religious controversy' before polls</a></b></p>.<p>The SP leader said that there were references in some books that the Hindu shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Jagannathpuri had been "built" after "demolishing" Buddhist monasteries.</p>.<p>He called for peace and said that all should abide by the Constitution and any attempt to foment communal hatred should be condemned.</p>.<p>Maurya's remarks evoked a sharp response from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who said that the remarks were 'unfortunate' and condemnable. Dhami also asked SP president Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav, who hailed from Uttarakhand, to condemn the remarks.</p>.<p>Notably, Maurya is no stranger to stoking controversies. He had earlier termed the Hindu epic Ram Charit Manas as "anti-Dalit" and demanded a ban on it. "We respect all religions but there are certain lines in Ram Charit Manas which are anti-dalit...we can not accept it....we demand a ban on the epic," Maurya had said.</p>
