VARANASI, INDIA, July 29, 2006: A sessions court in Varanasi heard a petition questioning the logic of using the Bhagavad Gita only as a testament of truth in courts. The application filed in the District and Sessions court by a lawyer questioned the choice of the Bhagavad Gita for Hindu litigants and witnesses to take oath in courts and not other scriptures such as the four Vedas and the Ramayana. It was filed under Section 5 of the Civil Procedure Code and the lawyer, R.K. Verma, said the Constitution also questioned the sanctity of the Bhagavad Gita as a holy book on the ground that it was a collection of discussions between Lord Krishna and the warrior Arjuna before the start of the Mahabharata. He asked the court to make a provision for religious books like the Vedas and Ramayanas for Hindu litigants for giving testimony during court proceedings on the ground that these epics were “repositories of truth”. The matter was transferred for hearing in the court of Additional Sessions Judge N.S. Rawal for July 31. HPI adds: In Tamil Nadu, the ancient scripture on ethics, Tirukkural, is sworn on in courts of law.
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