NCP Leader Jitendra Awhad Stokes Controversy, Says ‘Lord Ram Used to Eat Meat’, Apologises Later

National Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday stoked a major controversy after he stated that “Lord Ram used to eat meat”.Following Awhad’s remarks on Lord Ram, BJP MLA Ram Kadam wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister and urged him to ban alcohol and meat across the state on the occasion of the inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya, scheduled to take place on January  22, 2024.

The BJP leader also filed a complaint against the NCP leader  Jitendra Awhad on Thursday for insulting Lord Ram.

Addressing a rally in Nashik’s Shirdi, Awhad said, “Lord Ram belongs to the minorities. Lord Ram belongs to Kshatriyas. People want us to turn us vegetarian but Lord Ram used to hunt and eat meat. Lord Ram was a non-vegetarian. How do you expect a person who lived in the forest for 14 years to search for vegetarian food.”

However, a day later on Thursday, Awhad issued an apology for his remark.

“If sentiments are hurt, I apologise. I spoke in the flow yesterday, but I don’t speak without research,” he told reporters in Shirdi.

BJP Leader Writes to CM Shinde, Urges To Ban Alcohol & Meat

Condemning Awhad’s remarks on Lord Ram, BJP leader Ram Kadam urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ban alcohol and meat in the state of Maharashtra on the pious day of January 22. He further appealed Shinde to request the central government to implement a ban on liquor and meat across the nation on the auspicious day of January 22.

Sharing his letter on X (formerly Twitter), the BJP leader wrote, “The idol of Shri Ram in Ayodhya will be consecrated on January 22, 2024. Keeping the holy day in mind, there should be a ban on liquor and meat in Maharashtra. I request you the Central Government to implement liquor ban and mass ban for that day in the entire country.

Hitting out at the Opposition for their comments on Lord Ram, Kadam said, “Whatever is happening is pre-planned. So be it Congress, Sharad Pawar or Uddhav Thackeray, they all are against of the construction of Ram Temple and hence time and again they’re making statements against the Mandir.”