Days after his controversial remarks about Dr B R Ambedkar and Jyotiba Phule, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday said none of “our gods” or “mahapurush” (icons) were bachelors.
Addressing a gathering, Yuva Sanvad, organised on the occasion of National Youth Day in Pune, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, “All our gods and icons (mahapurush) were householders. Everything can be done, including service, by leading a householder’s life.”
Speaking on the creation of man, the minister said, “The sperms create a man of 100 kg. But surely, there must be someone who makes it happen. Nobody has seen sperm. But it determines the traits of an individual. Each is different…”
He went on to add: “Every individual has two eyes and same body. There is no person in the world who has blue or green color blood. The god does not make any discrimination.”
Accusing the British of “changing our culture”, he said, “The British came and changed our culture…. We forgot our culture and started calling our parents as mummy and daddy.”
Praising Hindu kings, he said, “Hinduism was not a religion but was a thought. No Hindu king ever attack other religion. Our Sanatan Dharm dates back to 5000 years. Today News 24 word itself includes “sarva dharma sambhav” (all religions are the same). Hindu dharma advocates the philosophy of oneness of god.”
Attacking Mughal rulers, Patil said, “Mughals attacked our gods. They shielded their daughters from attacks and ensured that faces of their daughters are not seen by anyone..They brought in the practice of ‘ghungat’. But now, women should be allowed to move out freely, they should be educated.”
Referring to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he said, “He was subjected to atrocities by invaders. But he stood by his religion. Had he not protected the religion, everybody would have been circumcised.”
