News meeows - 8

The Allahabad high court’s observation that the Bhagavad Gita should be made the national "dharma shastra" of the country evoked a strong reaction on Tuesday from the government, which said it should be ignored and the scriptures of all religions should be respected by all.

While the Union law minister and the former Chief Justice of India objected to such an idea, a leader from the saffron brigade, Mr V.P. Singhal, came to the rescue of Justice Srivastava (who pronounced this ‘judgement’) and said the remarks were "not made as a Hindu, but as a judge. He has justice in his mind."

How the heck is such an imposition about justice? Was the Bhagwad Gita written as a legal treatise? How many non-Hindus are aware of the contents?

Media personality Saeed Naqvi said the "Bhagavad Gita is part of our culture and they are trying to make it a religious text."

Another poppycock opinion. This culture crap should stop. It is a religious text for a certain community, but it does not have to become a cultural text for the rest. As an Indian I enjoy some festivals, music that is definitely from my soil and epics…but many may not. So don’t thrust this culture down everyone’s throats.

The Allahabad high court had the audacity to state that "it is the duty of the state to recognise the text as rashtriya dharma, which inspired our national struggle for freedom and continues to inspire people from all walks of life".

It must most definitely be inspirational to people but let us not reduce our struggle for independence to religious texts. Some people are inspired by erotica. Others by nature. Still others by LSD. So?

I will not accept the Bhagwad Gita or the Bible or the Quran as a “duty” were I to live in any society.

The ridiculous ruling says that if we recognise the national flag, national bird, national anthem and national flower, the holy text may also be considered as the national "dharma shastra". Get this clear. The others are symbols of oneness. The Gita, like most religious texts, is about war and struggle. We have a Constitution, thank you. Please leave your beliefs inside your homes.

Strangely, in another case, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has told the Supreme Court that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Lord Ram or the other characters in Ramayan. This assumes significance in the backdrop of the raging political controversy over the Sethusamudram Project.

This, say the reports, is in response to two writ petitions seeking an assurance from the government that there would be no destruction of the mythical barrier Ram Sethu during the construction of Sethusamudram Project.

Is the bridge a creation of Ram? “The ASI said the Ram Sethu is not a man-made structure, but rather a natural formation made up of shoals/sand bars, which are possessed of their particular shape and form due to wave action and sedimentation.”

The court has said it cannot use myths to justify history.

It has become a North versus South battle because the project is in South India and Lord Ram isn’t as much revered there. In fact, some myths deify his enemy Ravana.

I have only one question: What is the ASI doing about the Ram Temple if in this instance it is clearly asking for the existence of the “characters mentioned in the book”?

Why is the government indulging this ‘blasphemy’? Is it because the project ensures economic development and the Babri Masjid does not? Come on, up with the answers…

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Ah, so Urmila Matondkar went to Dubai to be with Imran Khan and raised around Rs 3 crore at a charity event organised by the former Pakistani cricket superstar for his hospital.

A humane gesture. Appreciate it.

Now, why will no one call her a jihadi for funding a Pakistani project?

In June 2005, the godman Sri Sri Ravi Shankar embraced the JKLF leader. The caption read, ‘Hug of peace: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar embraces JKLF leader Yasin Malik on the sidelines of a conference on human values in Srinagar on Monday. Several Kashmiri leaders, including those from both factions of the Hurriyat, attended the conference. Mr. Malik and several Kashmiris have benefitted from the Art of Living programme.”

Would anyone raise a voice? Would Sri Ravi Shankar be called a jihadi? Would it be said he is letting down Kashmir Pandits by hobnobbing with a militant?

Just asking!