Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

It is laughable that the Gita should be challenged in a Siberian court as “extremist” literature. The truth is that it is not only a great text sacred to the Hindus, but also widely viewed in the world as a marvel of world literature and a heritage of humankind. There will be no shortage of Indologists in Russia who would know this as well as the next Indian.

The point, however, is that there is lack of such knowledge among ordinary Russians. For this reason, Indians ought to explain things to the friendly people of a friendly country, rather than get hot under the collar.

The uproar in the Lok Sabha on Monday, and external affairs minister S.M. Krishna’s statement in the House on Tuesday, should persuade anyone that secular parties and groups are as concerned over the Gita controversy as avowed proponents of political Hinduism might be expected to be.