SP leader Maurya’s Buddhist monasteries’ remarks create row

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya has generated another controversy by saying that the Buddhist monasteries had been razed for the construction of Hindu temples.
Reacting to this, BSP supremo Mayawati said, “He is trying to create a war-like situation between the two communities”.
Later, the SP leader held a press conference and presented historical evidence in favour of his claims. He said, “Rahul Sankrityayan has written in his book that the idol of Badrinath is the idol of Buddha. Rahul Sankrityayan spoke to the Rawal (priest) of Badrinath at that time, from whom he came to know that it was the idol of Buddha. Along with this, he claimed that Sarnath and Sravasti also had similar idols of Buddha. Another English writer also wrote that Badrinath and Kedarnath were converted from Buddhist monasteries into Hindu temples.
He further said that apart from Shankaracharya, many other kings had also destroyed the Buddhist monasteries. All I want to say is that on 15th August 1947, everyone should accept the dead line and let peace prevail in the country. After Ayodhya, do not create a new controversy in the country.
He said, “I want to caution those who are searching for temples in every mosque. Those who find temple in mosque have no evidence, but those who find Buddhist monastery in temple have evidence”.
Slamming the remarks of SP leader, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Your faith is your faith but what about other people’s faith? Instead of talking about feelings and faith, talk logically”.
The SP leader’s controversial remarks, aimed at mustering Other Backward Classes (OBC) voters, have come at a time when the Parliamentary elections are just a few months away.