BJP slams Trinamool's Kirti Azad over Lord Ram remarks, cites party influence
Synopsis
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad's decision to publicly question Lord Ram's status and refuse to visit his temples has drawn condemnation from both the BJP and the Samajwadi Party — with BJP leaders arguing that Azad's views shifted the moment he joined Mamata Banerjee's party, turning a religious remark into a cross-party political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad sparked controversy on Tuesday, 10 November by questioning reverence for Lord Ram and refusing to visit his temples, citing the treatment of Goddess Sita .
West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya urged Azad not to defame Lord Ram's name.
BJP National Spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain alleged Azad's behaviour and views changed after he joined the Mamata Banerjee -led TMC .
Samajwadi Party MP Awdhesh Prasad also condemned the remarks, calling them 'inappropriate and condemnable.' Azad identified himself as a Mithila -origin devotee of Goddess Kali and affirmed his Hindu identity in his original statement.
A grand Sita Mata temple is reportedly under construction in Sitamarhi, Bihar , adding political sensitivity to the row.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad found himself at the centre of a sharp political controversy on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned his remarks questioning the reverence accorded to Lord Ram, alleging that his views had undergone a significant shift since he joined the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
What Kirti Azad Said
The controversy was sparked a day earlier, on Tuesday, when Azad publicly questioned the reverence given to Lord Ram and stated he would never visit temples dedicated to the deity, citing what he described as the unjust treatment meted out to Goddess Sita. 'Is Lord Ram the only God among the 3,200 crore deities in our country? I will never go there because Lord Ram abandoned his wife, even after she had passed the Agni Pariksha and sent Maa Sita away from his home,' Azad said, adding, 'Maryada Purushottam?... What kind of Maryada is this?'
Azad, who hails from the Mithila region, invoked his personal and regional identity in his remarks. 'I belong to the birthplace of Maa Sita. She was the daughter of Mithila. Maa Sita is my mother. For every person belonging to Mithila, Maa Sita is a mother,' he said, while also stating that he worships Goddess Kali and visits temples dedicated to her across the country. 'Does that mean I am not a Hindu,' Azad asked.
BJP's Sharp Rebuttal
West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya responded pointedly, stating: 'Do not defame Lord Ram's name. What Lord Ram did for his wife is an example for the entire world. Did anyone ever complain about it? Did Mata Sita ever go to the Mamata-Trinamool Congress office and tell Didi, or did any member of her family tell her that she had been treated unjustly?'
BJP National Spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain linked Azad's remarks to his political realignment, arguing that joining the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) had altered his public positions. 'After joining the Mamata-Trinamool Congress, his behaviour and views have changed. Everyone reveres Lord Ram, and people in Bihar have even greater devotion to him because he was Bihar's son-in-law. Mata Sita ji belongs to Bihar, and a grand temple dedicated to her is also being built in Sitamarhi. By making such remarks about Lord Ram, he is trying to please Mamata ji,' Hussain said.
Opposition Voices Disapproval Too
Samajwadi Party MP Awdhesh Prasad also distanced his party from Azad's remarks, describing them as inappropriate and condemnable. 'Such statements and such thinking are inappropriate and condemnable. Making such remarks or spreading such views about any deity is not right,' Prasad said — a notable signal that the criticism crossed party lines beyond the BJP.
Background and Broader Context
Kirti Azad is a former cricketer and politician who had earlier served as a BJP Member of Parliament before eventually joining the TMC. His trajectory across parties has drawn recurring political commentary. The BJP's framing — that his views changed specifically after joining TMC — is consistent with the party's broader electoral messaging in West Bengal and Bihar, two states where religious and cultural identity remain central to political mobilisation. Notably, remarks touching on Lord Ram, the Ramayana, and the treatment of Goddess Sita have historically generated intense political reactions across the spectrum. With the Sita Mata temple in Sitamarhi currently under construction, the timing of Azad's remarks adds further political sensitivity to the episode.
How the TMC leadership chooses to respond — or not respond — to Azad's remarks will be closely watched in the coming days.
Point of View
Invoking Sita's Mithila connection and the Sitamarhi temple is deliberate signalling. What is less remarked upon is that the Samajwadi Party's swift condemnation suggests that even traditional opponents of the BJP see political risk in being associated with Azad's position. Azad's own statement was not anti-Hindu in its framing — he positioned it as a defence of Sita — but that nuance has been largely lost in the political reaction. The episode illustrates how remarks about Ramayanic figures, however framed, are routinely absorbed into partisan combat rather than theological debate.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Kirti Azad say about Lord Ram?
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad said he would never visit temples dedicated to Lord Ram because, in his view, Ram had abandoned Goddess Sita after the Agni Pariksha. Azad, who identifies with the Mithila region and considers Sita a maternal figure, also stated he worships Goddess Kali and questioned why that made him any less Hindu.
How did the BJP respond to Kirti Azad's remarks?
The BJP condemned the remarks through two senior leaders. West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya urged Azad not to defame Lord Ram's name. BJP National Spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain alleged that Azad's views and behaviour had changed after he joined the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, accusing him of making the remarks to please TMC leadership.
Did any party other than the BJP criticise Kirti Azad?
Yes. Samajwadi Party MP Awdhesh Prasad also disapproved of the remarks, calling them 'inappropriate and condemnable' and stating that making such remarks about any deity is not right. His comments indicate the criticism crossed political party lines.
Why did the BJP mention Sitamarhi in its response?
BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain referenced Sitamarhi — a town in Bihar considered the birthplace of Goddess Sita — where a grand temple dedicated to her is reportedly under construction. The reference was used to underscore Bihar's devotion to both Sita and Lord Ram, and to argue that Azad's remarks were politically motivated.
