Temple or Hospital? Bihar's Chandra Shekhar stokes controversy for his comments over Ram Mandir

Patna: As the day of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha is approaching, scheduled for January 22, Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar has sparked controversy with his statements on Lord Ram on Monday. 

Chandra Shekhar asked if people fall sick or get injured they will seek medical attention rather than visiting a temple. "If you get injured, where will you go? Temple or hospital? If you want education and want to become an officer, MLA, or MP, will you go to a temple or school?" said minister Chandra Shekhar. 

Chandra Shekhar gave the statement while extending support to Fateh Bahadur Singh. Fateh Bahadur Singh put up posters that spoke disparagingly of temples while extolling the virtues of education.

“Fateh Bahadur Singh (RJD MLA) said the same thing that had been said by Savitribai Phule. What is wrong here? He quoted Savitribai Phule. Isn't education necessary? We should be cautious of pseudo-Hinduvaad and pseudo-nationalism,” said Chandra Shekhar. 

This is not the first time the Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar has sparked a controversy. Earlier in September he stirred a controversy when he compared the holy Ramcharitmanas to "potassium cyanide". 

Speaking at an event on Hindi Diwas (September 14), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said, "If you serve 56 kinds of dishes and mix potassium cyanide into them, would you eat them? The same analogy applies to the scriptures of Hinduism." The remarks drew sharp criticism from several leaders.