Bhagavad Gita is above all, don�t mix it with Bible: Karnataka minister on Bible row

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, April 28, 2022: Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh on Wednesday issued a statement regarding the ongoing Bible controversy in the state and the state government’s decision to include Bhagavad Gita in the school curriculum. This came after Clarence High School in Bengaluru mandated the teachings of the Bible to students.

 

BC Nagesh said, "Don’t mix Bhagavad Gita and the Bible. The Bhagavad Gita is not a religious book. It does not talk about religious practices. It does not tell how to do Prarthana [prayers]. Basically it is above all. We are ready to include anything in moral science that will improve the morale of students.”

This comes after the Karnataka government issued a show cause notice to Clarence High School in Bengaluru over its decision to mandate the teaching of the Bible.

The Department of Primary and Secondary Education had already issued a notice to the school on Tuesday, April 26. BC Nagesh said the government will take the necessary action after the school responds to the show cause notice.

The controversy surrounding the Bible in Karnataka convents began on Monday, April 25, when Clarence High School asked parents of students to sign an undertaking stating they would not object to their wards carrying the Bible to the premises.

Responding to this, Hindu Janajagruti Samithi state spokesperson, Mohan Gowda, claimed that the school was forcing non-Christian students to read the Bible. The group claimed that there were non-Christian students who studied in the school as well. The group claimed that the school was forcing the students to learn the Bible.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Monday, April 25, wrote to the Bengaluru district commissioner, telling him to initiate an inquiry against Clarence school. The NCPCR issued this order based on the observation that the school’s decision to mandate teaching the Bible was a violation of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.

The NCPCR has said that a report on the matter should be filed within seven days. Meanwhile, Clarence high school has been asked to respond to the show cause notice issued by the Karnataka government within seven days.

Courtesy: India Today