Hanuman was a Jat, claims UP minister

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, December 21

Adding to the ongoing controversy over the caste and religious identity of Lord Hanuman, UP Minister in charge of Religious Affairs, Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary today said that according to his reading, Hanuman was a Jat.

Speaking to a news channel, Chaudhary said the fact that Hanuman rushed to help anyone in trouble without knowing about the issue proved he had the traits of a Jat. “I think Hanuman ji was a Jat as when a Jat sees someone in trouble, he (like Lord Hanuman) jumps in without knowing the issue or the people,” the Minister maintained. 

“Lord Hanuman’s behaviour is very similar to that of a Jat as after Goddess Sita was kidnapped by Ravan, he immediately came to Lord Ram’s help,” he said. 

The remark comes a day after Samajwadi Party-turned-BJP MLC Bhukkal Nawab’s controversial statement describing Hanuman as a Muslim. Nawab had argued that Hanuman was a Muslim as his name rhymed with community names such as Salman, Zeeshan, Qurban, Suleman, Furqaan, Farman, Rahman, Ramzaan etc.

Meanwhile, clerics of the religious seminary of Darul Uloom Deoband have told the community members to refrain from making such irresponsible statements. 

Earlier, during the election campaign in Rajasthan, CM Yogi Adityanath had claimed Lord Hanuman was a Dalit.