Several Christian, Muslim and secular groups came together Thursday in the Indian state of Karnataka to protest a recent move by the state government to teach Hindu scripture in state-run schools.
In the second such protest in three days in the capital city of Bangalore, protesters gathered at the Gandhi Statue asking the government to cancel the circular – a written policy statement – that made it mandatory for the state-run schools to teach Bhagavad Gita to all its students.
The state is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and officials have admitted that policy promoted by the state’s education department was prompted by Hindu priests who have been campaigning to teach the Hindu scripture among school children since 2006.
Representatives of Sondhe Swarnavalli Math, a Hindu religious organization, approached the state’s minister for primary and secondary education Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri to support their mission to promote Gita in the schools and later received his approval.
“The government has always supported programs with good motives. The Bhagavad Gita campaign is one such program. We will include our students and teachers in all such programs,” Kageri told DNA newspaper.
The pressure from various groups, however, forced the administration to revoke the order in certain pockets in the state but the minister has continued to support the campaign openly.
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