BHOPAL, INDIA, January 28, 2012 (news bharati): The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to include summaries of sacred books of all other religions in the academic curriculum along with the Gita. It ruled the scripture Bhagwad Gita was a book on Indian philosophy.
When the Catholic Bishop’s Council filed the PIL in August last year, the court gave the petitioner’s counsel two months to read the holy book in entirety and make up his mind. Filed through council’s spokesman Fr. Anand Muttungal, the PIL had not per se opposed the Gita but wanted the MP government to teach a summary of all religions, instead of one particular religion.
The PIL had also argued that most government schemes drew their names from Hindu mythology and that the state had failed to project a secular image. The petition also noted that during inauguration and foundation laying ceremonies of government programmes, only Hindu religious prayers were recited. This practice, the petition said, went against the secular and democratic spirit of the nation and hence, all religious prayers should be introduced.
When the matter came up for hearing before the Division Bench of Justices Ajit Singh and Sanjay Yadav on Friday, the court held that the Gita was essentially Indian philosophy and not a religion. Father Anand Muttungal said he would appeal against the order.