Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar legislator Yaduvansh Kumar Yadav has claimed that people from the Brahmin community are originally from Russia and must be driven out. The remarks, made on April 29, were caught on camera and shared by news agency ANI on Tuesday.

“The Yadav community is one that belongs originally to this country. In today’s scientific world… DNA test was conducted… The DNA test shows that no Brahmins belong to this country and are from Russia and other European countries and have settled here. Brahmins are trying to divide us and rule. It is important that we should chase them away from here,” Yadav said addressing a gathering of party workers in Bihar’s Supaul on Saturday.

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Yadav’s remarks drew criticism from the Opposition BJP as well as the JD(U) with whom the RJD shares power in Bihar. JD(U) spokesperson Abhishek Jha termed the RJD leader’s remarks as “atrocious” and said RJD leaders issue such statements only to remain in news.

“Did Parshuram come from Russia or from some other country? RJD should act against such leaders. RJD leaders by making such comments are also damaging the image of Mahagathbandhan,” India Today quoted the JD(U) leader as saying.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, took potshots at the RJD-JD(U) alliance and suggested that there was a race among alliance partners to make controversial statements. BJP MLA Neeraj Kumar Bablu asked RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha and JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha — both Brahmins — to explain if Brahmins were from India or had arrived in the country from another place.

The RJD leader’s remarks come months after Bihar Education minister Chandra Shekhar, also an RJD leader stirred a row with his remarks that the Ramcharitmanas, a Hindu religious book based on the Ramayana, “spreads hatred in society”. The remarks drew condemnation from the Opposition as well as ally JD(U) in Bihar.