» 09/12/2007 14:08

INDIA
Judge rules Hindu epic poem 'Bhagavad Gita' a national religious doctrine
Nirmala Carvalho
For S. N. Srivastava, of the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh, the state must recognise the Bhagavad Gita (a Hindu epic poem) as the national religious doctrine and impose it on members of other religions. Minority group leaders react angrily.

Allahabad (AsiaNews) – S. N. Srivastava, of the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh, has ruled that the state has a duty to recognise the Bhagavad Gita as rashtriya dharma shastra or national religious doctrine. According to the judge, the Bhagavad Gita, the most popular and best loved Hindu epic poems, must be taught to members of other religions.

Judge Srivastava has a track record on intervening in religious matters. At the start of this year he denied Muslims the status of religious minority, thus depriving them of state subsidies in the educational field.

Reactions to the ruling were swift. A Hindu lawmaker, B. P. Singhal, said the judge "has justice in mind, not as a Hindu but as a judge."

By contrast, Sajan K. George, who chairs the Global Council of Indian Christians, said that whilst the Bhagavad Gita "is part of Indian culture, it cannot be seen as a religious text for all faiths. This goes against the constitution which guarantees religious freedom."

Lenin Raghuvanshi, director of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights, minces even fewer words. He told AsiaNews that "this sentence strikes at religious minorities, but also at the pluralistic nature of our society. If we go in this direction we run the risk of undermining social harmony."

Report

CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTRE IN AYER MUSAHAR TOLA

Chairwoman of Indo German Society Remscheid, (DIG-Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft) Ms. Helma Ritscher visit musahars ghetto of Ayer village of Varanasi India after interacting with people and according to there need PVCHR core team and PVCHR core group decided to build room in musahar ghetto with economic assistance from German Ministry for generations, family, women and integration of the federal land of North-Rhine-Westfalia via InWent gGmbh and DIG.

In community meeting decide that utilization of room will not be done for individual purpose, all the person of musahar community will be owner of the room and elected representative have responsibility to look after it.

The first use of room will be, to run pre - primary center for small children, and other use of room will be for marriage purpose, for community work, meeting, and panchayat, of musahar community.

Sajjan musahar donate land for room, where kitchen and room are built side by side. With the collaboration of "Care House foundation" Ms. Parul Sharma food scheme run for musahar and others children, now children food is cooked in this kitchen.
In front of the community center there are 4 swings type play materials donate by Care house foundation. This Structure seems as model center, which provide facility of food, playing and education to children.

This center was started on 9/07/07 and known as Ekalavya center. In this center there is facility of table and chair to sit children and book, copy, crayon, pencil, drawing copy and other stationary is provided by InWent and DIG.

Shivrampur primary school is in Khas tola Dalit village, in this school the number of classroom is less. Children have problem in sitting; due to this problem children are not getting good education.

Here also the process of classroom started like Ayer village. Elementary Education Officer (Basic Siksha Adhikari, BSA) admitted affidavit from PVCHR, that the owner of the will be education committee of village panchayat but not the PVCHR.

Now the classroom is constructed and furnished with table and chair to sit children.

 

 

 INAUGRATION OF COMMUNITY CENTRE AND CLASSROOM

 

 

In collaboration with 18 May foundation, South Korea and Gwanjoo civil association. 27 participant of fourth May 18 academy at 8:30 am of 6 September 2007 arrive in Ayer Mushar ghetto. They closely see the problems and living condition of Mushars.

 

At 11 AM Ms. Veena DM of Varanasi arrived, before her Block Development Officer, Additional District Magistrate (Administration) other officers arrive in Mushar getto in Ayer Village.