New Delhi: In response to Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar faction leader Jitendra Awhad's recent statements on Lord Ram, Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra chief priest, Acharya Satyendra Das, strongly refuted the claims, calling them “completely false.”

Awhad had earlier sparked controversy by asserting that Lord Ram, during his exile, was a non-vegetarian.

Refuting his claims, Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra chief priest, Acharya Satyendra Das said, “What NCP leader Jitendra Awhad is speaking is completely false. It isn't written anywhere in our scriptures that Lord Ram had non-vegetarian food during his exile. It's written that he used to have fruits."

"Such a liar has no right to insult our Lord Ram. Our God was always vegetarian. He is speaking demeaning words to insult our Lord Ram," Acharya Satyendra Das stated expressing his disapproval.

What Jitendra Awhad said

The Sharad Pawar Camp MLA Jitendra Awhad on the first day of NCP party meeting in Shirdi said, "Lord Ram belongs to the minorities. Lord Ram who used to go for hunting, belongs to us. People want us to turn vegan but Lord Ram was a nonvegetarian. We follow the ideals of Ram. He lived in the forest for 14 years, where he would have got vegetarian food in jungles. Isn't it true? Whatever I said is the truth.”

INDI alliance’s all-out attack on Lord Ram

While an FIR was filed against him by BJP leader Ram Kadam in Mumbai this morning, there has also been widespread protest in the state over his remark. Even after facing backlash for the statement he made, Jitendra Awhad has gone ahead and justified his remark in what looks like INDI alliance's unrelenting attack on Lord Ram. Jitendra Awhad remains unapologetic about his earlier statement.

While Jitendra Awhad has apologised for his comment, he has justified his comment and said that it is backed by research.

“If anyone has been hurt by my words, I express my regret. Yesterday, I said that Lord Ram was a nonvegetarian. I do not want to escalate this, but Valmiki also said this. I have this authentic Ramayana published in West Bengal. This is clearly mentioned there as well,” Jitendra Awhad said.

Jitendra Awhad went on to add, “If someone disagrees with what has been written in Valmiki Ramayana, then they must speak up. I made the statement after reading this, but today there is no value for education, but emotions weigh more.”