WATCH: Jharkhand BJP minister seen forcing Muslim lawmaker to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ outside assembly 

A video has recently gone viral on social media, where BJP MLA CP Singh asks Congress legislator Irfan Ansari to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ outside the Jharkhand Assembly. Congress Spokesperson Rajesh Thakur said Singh “is politicising Lord Ram, who is he to do that? People shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’ with devotion and trust not for pretence” as a reaction to the incident.

The two legislators were talking to the media outside the Assembly when the incident took place. Ansari told a reporter regarding the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants raised in the assembly that as elections are nearing the BJP is hiding behind these chants when there are no jobs in the state. At that, Singh asked Ansari to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ “Main to keh raha hoon ki Irfan Bhai ek baar jor se lagayein: Jai Shri Ram (I am saying Irfan Bhai that you chant Jai Shri Ram).”

When Ansari questioned Singh enquiring if he is trying to threaten him, Singh responded saying that the Congress MLA’s ancestors were also “Jai Shri Ram wale” and there is no need to fear. Ansari then said “Ram ka nam badnaam mat kijiye…Ram sab ke hain (Don’t defame Ram’s name, he belongs to everyone).”

However, the Urban Development and Housing Minister can be heard saying “(Tumhaare poorvaj) Babur ke nahi…Gazni ke nahi…Taimur ke nahi the…(Your ancestors were not of Babur, Gazni or Taimur).” Ansari then responded by saying that the Minister should go and see in the condition of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

Without commenting on the incident, Ansari told The Indian Express that he was asked to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by Minister CP Singh. Singh, however, could not be reached for comment.

With inputs from The Indian Express