Former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav today condemned Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's statement that there could be "a Syria in India" if the Ayodhya dispute was not resolved.
Yadav alleged that the remarks were like a "veiled threat" to the minorities and charged Sri Sri with making a political statement while claiming to be a spiritual guru.
The AOL founder has claimed that his comments during an interview to a news channel had been "twisted" and that he could not "even dream" of issuing a threat to any community.
"The Ayodhya dispute will be resolved by the court of law where the matter is under consideration. The remarks of Sri Sri sound like a veiled threat to the minority community", Yadav told reporters here.
The former JD(U) leader, who was disqualified from the Rajya Sabha for his refusal to toe the party line in the aftermath of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit from the Grand Alliance, claimed that the upcoming by-polls in one Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in the state will be a contest between those representing the people and those who have betrayed the mandate.
Yadav, who was the NDA convener before Kumar snapped ties with the BJP in 2013, has been critical of the JD(U) chief's decision to rejoin the coalition.
The veteran socialist leader also termed as a "sham" the prohibition policy of Kumar alleging that only the poor are being punished for selling or consuming alcohol while the rich and the powerful were getting liquor delivered at their homes.
Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi took potshots at Yadav saying he has accepted the leadership of (RJD vice-president) Rabri Devi. "Now he is making allegations that reduce him to her standards".
"Yadav today stands with the Congress, which was in power in Bihar when the state witnessed the Bhagalpur riots. His socialism has sacrificed itself at the altar of corruption of Lalu, Rabri and Tejashwi", Sushil tweeted.
The senior BJP leader also ridiculed Yadav's attempts to keep the Grand Alliance afloat, saying only recently four MLCs of the Congress quit the party to join the JD(U).
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