Mumbai, Jun 27 (IANS): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar declared that Manusmriti has no place in the state and attacked the opposition for setting a fake narrative in this regard, in the run-up to the state Assembly elections slated for September-October.

"No verse from 'Manusmriti' has been included in the school curriculum. No such attempt can be made in the state. Manusmriti is not supported by the state government. The opposition knows that issues like 'Manusmriti' have no place in Maharashtra, yet the opposition is deliberately trying to spread misunderstandings by raising issues in this way," he said at the press conference after the state cabinet meeting on the eve of the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislature from Thursday.

"It is not right to do politics in this way, Maharashtra cannot afford it," he added.

Pawar said that Maharashtra is known for implementing the progressive thoughts of Shivaji Phule Shau and Dr B.R. Ambedkar as he reiterated that 'Manusmriti' has no place in the state.

He was responding to the opposition’s claim that the state government wants to include verses from 'Manusmriti' in the curriculum. Pawar said that School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has already clarified that the government has no plan to include verses from 'Manusmriti' and called upon the opposition to stop doing politics on this issue.