Ruckus in LS over move to ban Bhagvad Gita in Russia

RAISING THE PITCH: ISKCON followers hold placards during an agitation in front of the Russian Consulate in Kolkata on Monday. — PTI

New Delhi, December 19
The Lok Sabha today had RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav raising the slogan ‘Bhagwan Sri Krishna ki jai,’ and the entire House reverberated with ‘jai’ as he rose to condemn the Russian court’s act of banning the Russian translation of Bhagvad Gita by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), while SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav wanted the Bhagvad Gita to be taught in all schools.
The House was earlier adjourned for two hours from 2 pm as SP and BSP rushed into the Well of the House and BJP members were on their feet, demanding the government explanation.
When the House reassembled after the adjournment, the chair allowed SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to raise the issue, who praised the Bhagvad Gita and said that it is revered in India across the board and the Dharma that Sri Krishna mentioned in the Gita is acceptable to people all over the world. Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Gita. He regretted that the government was not taking it seriously.
He was followed by RJD chief Lalu Yadav, JD (U) president Sharad Yadav and BJP leader Hukumdev Narain Yadav, who all took serious exception to the disrespect caused to the Gita and Bhagwan Krishna and demanded government statement.
The matter was finally settled only when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal assured the House that External Affairs Minister SM Krishna may make a statement perhaps tomorrow upon his return to the country.

Russian court verdict on Dec 28 MOSCOW: A Russian court on Monday suspended its verdict till December 28 on the demand for banning Hindu scripture Bhagvad Gita, which a group linked to the Christian Orthodox Church has described as ‘extremist’. “The ruling has been postponed till December 28, as the lawyer of the local chapter of ISKCON requested the court to seek opinion of Russian ombudsman and experts from Moscow and St Petersburg - the main centres of Indology in Russia”, Sadhu Priya Das of ISKCON said in the Siberian city of Tomsk.