Sushma Swaraj sparks controversy over demands of naming Gita as National Book

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sparked another controversy on Sunday when she urged centre to declare Bhagwad Gita as a ‘Rashtriya Granth’ (national book).

While opposition parties foul cry over the demand, the saffron brigade welcomed her statement.

“Bhagwad Gita has answers to everybody’s problems and that’s why I said it while standing in the Parliament that, ‘Shrimad Bhagwad Gita’ should be declared as the national holy book,” Ms Swaraj said at ‘Gita Prerna Mahotsav’, which”to celebrate 5,151 years of religious book Gita” in the capital.

“The formal announcement for it hasn’t been made for it since the government came in power but Swamiji Maharaj, I am happy to say that the Prime Minister has already given it the honour of a national ‘Rashtriya Granth’ when he handed over the ‘Shrimad Bhagwad Gita’ to America’s President Barack Obama,”Sushma Swaraj explained.

“Everyone should read two shlokas of Gita everyday…it is a scripture of 700 shlokas and it can be finished in a year. Read it again and continue this till the end. After reading it three to four times, you will discover a path to lead a life, the way I discovered,” she said.

“When I read Gita for the first time, I did not agree with the concept of whatever happens, happens for the best and whatever happens in future, will be for good…But when I read it for the third and fourth time, I understood its meaning. This has helped me all through my life. Even now, when I am handling the External Affairs and the challenges related to it,” she added.

Ms Swaraj said that reading Geeta would also help reducing stress level.

“Eating chocolates or popping pills won’t reduce depression. Instead, one must read Gita. This will help relieve the stress and depression in life. It will help in dealing with challenges of life,” she said.

Reacting sharply to Swaraj’s comments, former union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari said, “So, if anybody has seriously read and internalise the teachings of the Gita they would not make such a frivolous statement.”

Trinamool Congress opposed Swaraj’s demand by saying Indian Constitution is the “Holy Book”.

“Our Constitution says India is a secular country. The Constitution is the Holy Book in a democracy” TMC said.

“We respect all Holy Books. Quran, Puran, Ved, Vedanta, Bible, Tripitak, Zend Avesta, Guru Granth Sahib, Gita – All are our pride,” it added in a tweeter.

VHP President Ashok Singhal welcomed Swaraj’s remarks and said, “There are two ways here. First is to pass a bill and declare it as a national scripture. But if the Prime Minister immediately declares it as a national scripture…Sushma Swaraj is present here today. As a member of the Union Cabinet, I request Swaraj to make Prime Minister Modi declare Gita as the national scripture.”

(Additional Input: NDTV)

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