Tripura [India], July 17 : A political controversy has broken out in Tripura after former Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Shankar Prasad Dutta allegedly made derogatory remarks about Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman.
The comments have sparked outrage among the public, religious groups, and political leaders both within the state and beyond.
Tripura's Minister for Animal Resources Development, SC Welfare and Fisheries, Sudhanshu Das, condemned the remarks and called them "extremely wrong and unacceptable."
"The way former CPI(M) MP Shankar Prasad Dutta has spoken obscenely and insulted our Lord Hanuman is extremely wrong and unacceptable. I believe this is not just about Dutta alone--his statement reflects poorly on the entire CPI(M) party," Das said.
The minister also accused the Communist Party of maintaining a long-standing disregard for India's spiritual and cultural values. Referring to a recent incident in Kerala, he said, "During Guru Purnima, some students were seen touching their Guru's feet as a mark of reverence. Yet, leftist leaders in Kerala opposed this practice, showing again that they fail to respect our ancient spiritual values."
Das further claimed that the Communist ideology, while often speaking of religious tolerance, frequently targets Hindu traditions.
"Communist leaders often speak against Sanatan Dharma. It's not just in Tripura--people across India are deeply hurt and are voicing strong opposition," he said.
Protests have taken place in several parts of Tripura since the remarks surfaced. On Tuesday, demonstrators launched a campaign demanding an apology and strict action. Demonstrations continued on Wednesday as well.
Calling for official action, Minister Das said he had requested the intervention of the state's top authorities.
"I humbly request that strict steps be taken against such offensive behaviour. Mr Shankar Prasad Dutta must issue a public apology at the earliest," he stated.
As of now, neither Shankar Prasad Dutta nor the CPI(M) leadership has issued a formal response to the allegations.