Akhilesh seeks to counter Yogi Adityanath's 'Sanatan Dharma' pitch with Ambedkar

Adityanath should reveal which book says so, he is trying to equate Sanatan Dharma with the country but he himself has taken oath in the name of the Constitution," Yadav said

In an apparent bid to put the BJP on the defensive after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that 'Sanatan Dharma' was India's ''Rashtriya Dharma'', Samajwadi Party (SP) Akhilesh Yadav said that for people like him Ambedkar was the biggest 'dharma' as he sought to paint the saffron party 'anti-dalit'.

''Adityanath should reveal which book says so.....he is trying to equate Sanatan Dharma with the country but he himself has taken oath in the name of the Constitution...for us socialists Ambedkar is the biggest religion,'' Akhilesh said.

Apparently seeking to make holes in the BJP's bid to paint him as 'anti-Hindu' and accusing him of 'tacit' support to his party leader Swami Prasad Maurya termed the Hindu epic 'Ram Charit Manas', as 'anti-dalit' and demanded a ban on it, he said that the saffron party considered them 'shudra' and did not want him to visit temples and meet Hindu seers.

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''BJP leaders consider us shudras......they do not want me to visit temples and take part in religious functions as the saffron party thinks that they own the Hinduism,'' Akhilesh said after he was shown black flags and greeted with slogans of 'go back' by the BJP workers when the SP leader arrived to take part in a 'Yajna' (a ritual by fire) to worship Pitambara Mata, a Hindu goddess.

''BJP sends its goons whenever we visit temples and meet seers and saints.....none can be more irreligious than the BJP,'' he said. The SP leader also said that he would like Adityanath to recite the couplet in the state legislature, which, according to Maurya' contained 'anti-dalit' words.

While the BJP has taken strong exception to Maurya's remarks and the saffron outfits staged protest demonstrations and even declared a reward to whosoever chopped his (Maurya) tongue.

The All India Hindu Mahasabha workers burnt effigy of Maurya in Agra in protest against the remarks and demanded action against him. The Mahasabha general secretary Saurav Sharma declared a reward of Rs 51 thousand to whosoever 'chopped' tongue of Maurya.

Earlier Bihar education minister Chandra Shekhar had said that Ram Charit Manas promoted hatred and social discrimination.