She alleges that Dalits and Backward Class people were being called ‘bandar’ (monkey) and ‘rakshas’ (demon).

BJP MP from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh Savitri Bai Phule on Tuesday said Lord Hanuman was “a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ people.”

Only recently, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at a poll rally in Malakheda of Alwar district, Rajasthan, that ''Bajrang Bali was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit, who worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west.”.

Ms. Phule alleged that Dalits and Backward Class people were being called ‘bandar’ (monkey) and ‘rakshas’ (demon). “Lord Hanuman was a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ people. He was a Dalit and a human. He did all for Lord Ram then why was he given a tail and his face was blackened. Why was he made a monkey?,” she said.

“When he did all for Lord Ram with devotion, he [Lord Hanuman] should have been made a human and not a ‘bandar’ [monkey]. At that time also he had to face humilation due to being a Dalit. Why can’t we Dalits be considered humans?” she told PTI over phone.

Bhim Army chief's call

After Mr. Adityanath's statement, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar asked members of his community to take over all temples belonging to Lord Hanuman. “Dalits should take over all Hanuman temples in the country and appoint Dalits as priests there,” he said.

When asked about the Ram temple issue, which is pending in the Supreme Court, Ms. Phule said the BJP was raking up the matter as it had no other issues.

“The country does not need a temple. Will it end unemployment and other problems of Dalits and backwards? The temple will benefit Brahmins, who are only 3%. The money offered in temples are used by them for their gains and make our community [Dali]) their slave,” she said.

“We want rights given to us in the Constitution. “Hamko adhikar chahiya warna kursi khali karo [Give us our rights or leave the government],“ she said.

Phule's praise for Jinnah

Ms. Phule had raised questions on BJP leaders dining at houses of Dalits and termed the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, “a mahapurush” (great personality).

When asked to comment on the statement of Ms. Phule, BJP spokesman Chandra Mohan said, “It seems she didn’t have much knowledge of Indian tradition.”

On her attacking the BJP on the Ram temple issue, he said he would not like to comment and people know what she was doing.