‘Ram, Krishna are characters from novel’: Retired judge stokes controversy

VIJAYAPURA: A retired district judge has stoked a controversy by terming Lord Ram and Lord Krishna as characters in a novel whereas Emperor Ashoka was a historical character.

Retired judge Vasanth Mulasavalagi, who was delivering a talk on the Constitution at a seminar organised at the Kandagal Hanumantharaya Rangamandira here on Thursday evening, said Akbar’s wife was Hindu and she didn’t convert.

“She remained a Hindu and Akbar a Muslim. Akbar had built a Krishna mandir in his court, which can be seen even today. History says Muslim rulers ruled for 700 years. If they were opposed to Hindus, there would be no Hindu in India today. They could have killed everyone because they were kings and there was no democratic government then. Yet, Muslims are in a minority in this country. Those who talk against them have no sense of history and those who listen to them have no intelligence”, he noted.

Referring to the Places of Worship Act of 1990, he said religious structures were to remain as they were at the time of Independence. “Yet, a district court orders a survey to check whether there is a Shiva Linga. In Uttharakhand, there is a Shiva Linga on which there are images of Lord Buddha. There are stone inscriptions that Emperor Ashoka built 84,000 viharas. What happened to those? Over time, things change, we cannot turn the clock back”, he said.

“Today, we are faced with problems of unemployment, casteism and high petrol prices. But some ‘bhakts’ say we are questioning the country if we talk about increasing prices. People have to earn their living. Have their salaries or earnings increased? All citizens should go by the Constitution, only then will we achieve progress and equality and ensure rights for all. Fanatics rake up these controversial subjects when it is close to elections”, he added.