Complaint Filed Against Kannada Writer KS Bhagawan After Statements on Ramayana

Bhagawan said, "If one reads the Uttara Kanda of Valmiki's Ramayana, it will become evident that Ram was not ideal."

A police complaint was filed against noted Kannada writer and rationalist Kallahalli Sannegowda Bhagawan on Monday, 23 January, days after Bhagawan courted controversy with his statements on Valmiki's Ramayana.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A complaint was filed with Karnataka's Mandya Police against noted Kannada writer and rationalist KS Bhagawan on Monday, 23 January, days after Bhagawan courted controversy with his statements on the Indian epic Ramayana. The complaint was raised by some Hindutva groups in Mandya.

What did the writer say? Speaking at an event in Karnataka's Mandya on Friday, the writer said:

"There is talk about building a Rama Rajya...If one reads the Uttara Kanda of Valmiki's Ramayana, it will become evident that (Lord) Ram was not ideal. He did not rule for 11,000 years, but only for 11 years...Ram would sit with Sita in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day drinking...He sent his wife Sita into the forest and didn't bother about her."

What more? He added, "He chopped off the head of Shambuka, a Shudra, who was sitting in penance under a tree. How can he (Ram) be ideal?” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

Is this Bhagawan's first controversy? No, the writer had made similar remarks in 2019 wherein he said Lord Ram used to consume 'intoxicants' and made Sita also drink them.

In 2021, black ink was thrown on Bhagawan, when he came from his hometown Mysuru to a Bengaluru court after being summoned to attend the proceedings in a private complaint.

The attacker, Meera Raghavendra, had filed the private complaint before the court stating that the writer had made insulting and derogatory remarks against Lord Ram.

Meanwhile, a police team probing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh had said that Bhagawan's name was also on the alleged list of targets of the alleged killers, NDTV reported.