BJP Seeks AAP Leader Rajendra Pal Gautam's Expulsion Over Controversial 'Ramcharitmanas' Video

The BJP on Monday demanded the expulsion of former minister Rajendra Pal Gautam after it shared a video showing the AAP leader backing Bihar education minister Chandra Shekhar's controversial remarks on the 'Ramcharitmanas'. 
    
Sharing the video, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor also hit out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to clarify whether he agrees "with the anti-Hindu speech" of the former AAP minister. 
    
Gautam had resigned in October last year from the Arvind Kejriwal-led government after courting controversy over attending a religious conversion programme in which Hindu deities were allegedly insulted.  
    
In the purported video of the event, Gautam is seen saying in Hindi, "What Bihar's education minister Chandra Shekhar said about 'Manusmriti' and 'Ramcharitmanas', the country's media is after him. I want to ask what was wrong did he say? What did he say out of his choice? 
    
"Whatever is written in Manusmriti and Ramcharitmanas, he only said that it is wrong and anti-Dalit and anti-women. Should we not stand with Dr. Chandrashekhar? Should equalitarian and humanitarian people of the country follow blind people with shut eyes?'
    
Gautam further said, ".... Your religious scriptures are not ready to give us the status of human beings. Your faith is faith. You are saying your faith is being hurt. Our daughters and sisters are being raped every day, our youth are being killed every day, our slums are being burnt every day."
    
The Bihar minister had ruffled many feathers when he spoke of verses in the 'Ramcharitmanas' that allegedly promoted discrimination against the lower castes and, when confronted by journalists, dug in his heels equating the popular version of Ramayana with 'Manu Smriti' and RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar's 'Bunch of Thoughts'.
    
Kapoor said on Twitter, "@ArvindKejriwal Please come forward and tell that you agree with the anti-Hindu speech of former minister @AdvRajendraPal? If not, then expel Rajendra Pal Gautam from @AamAadmiParty today, otherwise be ready to be boycotted by Hindus."