Mumbai, Jan 4 (IANS): Barely three weeks ahead of the Ayodhya Temple inauguration, a senior Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader has stoked up a massive controversy on the alleged 'non-vegetarian' diet of Lord Ram, with political and religious leaders crying foul and demanding strict action, here on Thursday.

At an event in Shirdi, Ahmednagar on Wednesday, NCP (SP) National General Secretary Jitendra Awhad called Lord Ram a 'meat-eater' when he was exiled from the Ayodhya Kingdom, leaving devotees and politicians across the country aghast.

"Lord Ram was never a vegetarian. Where will a person living in the forests for 14 years find vegetarian food? He was a non vegetarian... Is it correct or not..?" said Awhad, citing ancient scriptures and also the Valmiki version of Ramayana epic.

As his comments kicked up a massive row, an unfazed Awhad on Thursday told the media that he stood by his remarks but softened to add: "I express regrets if it has hurt the religious sentiments of anyone."

Reiterating that he did not say anything without a proper research and study as "He is my Ram, too, he was a Kshatriya, he was a 'Bahujan' and would be appalled at the status of the country today", but would not like to aggravate the issue in view of public emotions and wanted to end the row.

Awhad said that he spoke on the issue from his heart and with proper references to ancient writings on Lord Ram, but "if some persons feel offended, I regret it".

Earlier, the political spectrum went on a boil with calls ranging from 'arrest Dr. Awhad' to 'send him to 14 years vanvas (jail)', with at least one religious leader joining the fracas.

Nashik's Shri Kalaram Temple Trust's chief priest Mahant Sudhirdas Maharaj said he was going to lodge a police complaint against Awhad for his "blasphemous" statements.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ram Kadam demanded Awhad's arrest, while party MLA Nitesh Narayan Rane asked "whether he would have been spared alive if he had spoken against any other community".

Maha Vikas Aghadi ally Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said it was "not proper" to make any controversial remarks on any gods-goddesses, even as the issue was hotly debated on social media, with pro-and-anti Awhad comments.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar - the grandnephew of party supremo Sharad Pawar also criticised Awhad, but NCP Working President Supriya Sule, and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, SS-UBT MP Sanjay Raut and others declined to comment on the remarks.

SS-UBT's Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve said Awhad's comments were in bad taste and he did not support it, but slammed the BJP for its hypocritical stance on the issue.

Ruling Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's party activists staged massive protests in Thane outside Awhad's residence, and other places like Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other districts, slapped with shoes or burnt effigies of the NCP(SP) leader, raised slogans and demanded strict action.

Defending his observations, Ahad said in an X post: "The juveniles who are ignorant of Lord Ram’s history must first study it. Shri Ram accepted the 14 years’ exile only to give the throne to his brother Bharat, as agreed upon by his parents," and Emperor Bharat ruled the kingdom by placing Shri Ram's sandals (‘padukas’) on the throne.

Here, Awhad took a potshot at the July 2023 split in the NCP, saying in modern day history, one leader (Ajit Pawar) threw out his own paternal-figure and Uncle (Sharad Pawar) to shunt him to "political exile".

"However, their plans will not succeed as disciples like us are standing solidly and we will destroy their designs… Lord Ram respected his parents… Your (NCP-AP) leaders insult father figures and eject them out of the house," said Awhad.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)