An outgoing judge of the Allahabad High Court has lobbed a small grenade in the public sphere before remitting office, by suggesting that the Bhagvad Gita be made the national religious doctrine, or dharma shastra.
Hearing the dispute between two brothers over a temple in Benaras on August 30, Judge S.N. Srivastava, who has since retired, said since India had a national flag, a national anthem, a national bird and a national animal, it could have the Gita, which has inspired countless people from all walks of life, as its national religious doctine.
“It is the duty of every citizen of India under Article 51-A of the Constitution of India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, to follow dharma as propounded by the Gita.”
The Centre has said the Judge’s comments should be ignored, and the Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj has explained why.
“For Muslims, it [the religious doctrine] is the Koran and the Christians have the Bible. Every religion has its own dharma shastra, so how can we say it [Gita] is for the entire nation? We have to respect the scriptures of other religions. Therefore, the observation needs to be ignored. It does not apply to everybody.”
Judge Srivastava was the same judge who in April this year, just as Uttar Pradesh was going to the polls, ruled that Muslims were not a minority group in Uttar Pradesh and hence educational institutions run by them were not entitled to benefits. So, the two observations are being seen in conjunction.
Still, do we need a “national religious doctrine” given the cursory role the national flag, anthem, bird and animal occupy in our lives?
Would making the Gita a compulsory text for people of all religions make India better or divide a divided country even further? Is the Gita becoming a plaything of those who cannot stomach India’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual culture, and those who believe our heterogenous character is the cause of all our troubles? Or, is there nothing wrong for a Hindu-majority nation to have a Hindu text as the dominant religous doctrine?
Good example of Jucidial activism? as for as I know my civics well, this judgement clearly violates my rights under constituion. High time to kick him out.
>> national religious doctrine
What non-sense! How different is this from terms like ‘Islamic republic, fascist state, Nazi regime’ etc. For heaven’s sake… NO for people’s sake keep religion out of public discourse! This is India not southern United States! Indians can handle religions themselves. Let the various arms of the state viz, Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and the media stay away from it.
Art 51A deals with fundamental duties of Indian Citizen. Sadly an Indian Citizen is hardly ever bothered to abide by the high expectation this section of the Constitution which casts a vast multitude of Fundamental duties on its citizen.
Whereas Ms. Urs is talking about rights ! You may defer from the former judge but Art 51A (f) says: To value and preserve th rich heritage of our composite culture. It is indubitable that Gita is part of our rich heritage. Probably the judge was alluding to it. It is a shame that the Minister was looking at Gita from a narrow perspective of Hindu religious text. Its preaching are universal .
Well the directive principle also wishes the state to evolve a Uniform Civil code and but in todays vote bank politics it may sound blasphemous and some one may say it violates my civic rights !
The suggestion of the Judge Srivastava should be welcomed by all Indians irrespective of their religion. If we as the only Hindu country in the world (Nepal apart) does’nt uphold Gita as our Dharma,who else will do it? There will not be any compulsion for any body to study.This will not obscure our secularism in any way.
It has become a practice for the Govts.to seek opinion of minorities whenever they want to uphold something concerning Hindu religeon.The terms’Fascist state’ ‘Nazi’ is part of history but crave for ‘Islamic republic’ is still in existance.Many of the followers of that religeon are prepared to go to any extent including terrorism to achieve their goal. Gita can never be compared to such activities nor its teachings anywhere near that.
During the adoption of the constitution it was not thought off nor anybody raised the sibject.Let there be a nationel debate on the subject.
Gita as our Dharma should be incorporated in the Constitution under Directive ‘Principles.
I don’t feel gItA is a dharmashAstra at all. The judge is inaccurate. It is more a yogaashAstra and brahmavidyA.
For some more details, you can visit my blog.
As an aside:
Supreme Court Building has on its masthead yathO dhramaH thathO jayaH .
Any comments !
I wish this Judge is promoted to become the Chief Justice of India!!
Bhagavadgita is not for one religion. The Gita does not tell anyone to follow one religion, worship one God, or try and convert at least one person to his religion. It is like equating Yoga with Hinduism, Just because it is in Sanskrit. I guess we are in a time when any good word will be welcome in this society of ours. I am happy that at last someone has spoken up for the majority
The outgoing judge’s suggestion should best be ignored. The judge as well as the people, who subscribe to his suggestion, appear to be living in their own world, oblivious of India’s pluralistic culture and traditions. There cannot be anything more silly than having a national debate on it. For, it would trigger yet another controversy.
Nobody ever bothered to ask the Judge in wat context he made tat comments.
Also , Bhagavad gita cannot be considered a religious text at all coz it preaches the moral values tat a person shld uphold and chapters such as karmayoga hav nothin to deal wit any religion.It is high time ppl start respectin the positives of other religion and adoptin it themselves..Bhagavad Gita is an essential part of our religious heritage.
We have a bad tendency which we have cultivated off late. Just because it is a Hindu scripture, we will oppose. Just coz a Hindu says it we will oppose, just coz a Hindu Organization says it we oppose……..It is utter disgrace on the part of the community, definitely our religion does not speak ill about other religions, but still we are so eager to please other religions even at the cost of disowning our religion. Time will be the best answer to all these.
How can a book which promotes casteism be imposed on all.
Refractor,
No one is denying the many warts in Hinduism like varnashrama and such like. In spite of such issues, Gita is an essence of noble thought and ideals.
I have read all the comments above. Very nice. Everyone has their own perspective. Some I agree and some I do not. I do not agree to INDURAMESH that Gita is not for one religion. Please note if you travel to middle east especially Saudi Arabia, and carry any religious book including Gita, it will be just torn and thrown away. They do not treat this book as holy. Also only Hindus (Jain, Buddhist etc.) believe in rebirth. No other religion. In Gita, we see at various places the re-birth is explained. How a religion, which does not believe in re-birth can treat Gita as a holy boo because it is just contradictory of their faith. Gita is good book for practical uses. Religion is only faith. No faith, no religion.