Samajwadi Party general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya has kicked up yet another controversy with his remark, “Hinduism is not a religion but just a ‘dhokha’ (deception).”

Maurya referred to the remarks made by the Supreme Court, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bid to back his claim.

“Hindu ek dhokha hai... In 1955, the Supreme Court had said in its order that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life. It is a conglomeration of more than 200 religions. Even Mohan Bhagwat had said, not once but twice, that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that Hindu is not a religion. Even Gadkari had said the same thing in a media conclave,” Maurya said while speaking at the National Buddhist and Bahujan Rights Conference in New Delhi on Monday.

The SP leader also questioned why no one’s sentiments get hurt when they say the same thing on Hinduism that he had said. “When they say this, no one’s sentiments get hurt, but when Swami Prasad Maurya says that Hindu is not a religion but a deception and what we refer to as Hindu religion is a business for some people, the whole country gets into a storm,” Maurya said.

“When the Supreme Court said the same thing in 1955, no one took offence. But when Swami Prasad Maurya says it, FIRs are registered throughout the country. I am saying the same thing that the Indian Constitution is saying,” he added.

The Samajwadi Party leader said that the Hindu upper classes make use of the Bahujan vote bank to come to power, but after doing so, they cancel their reservations.

“Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas together make up eight per cent of the population. These eight per cent cannot form a government on its own. They have exploited the backward classes and formed the government in the name of Hindu. For the purpose of votes, we are Hindus. But after forming the government, we are no longer Hindus. If it had been the case, they would have never cancelled reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes or backward castes,” Maurya said.

The Samajwadi Party MLC said that those sitting at the top echelons of power are weakening democracy by doing away with reservations.

“Those who swear by the Constitution — the prime minister and the chief ministers —and are at the helm of power are prioritising Manuvaad. The Constitution is being made ineffective, and reservations are being done away with. Even democracy is being weakened. Almost 150 MPs were expelled from Parliament. Is it not a conspiracy against democracy? Is the government not imposing its say on the people?” Maurya said.

Maurya had hit the headlines in January this year after  making derogatory comments about  Ramcharitmanas. In August too, he had said that “Hinduism is a betrayal”.