Gita does not belong to any particular religion: LS speaker Om Birla
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said on Saturday that the the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, does not belong to any particular language, region or religion but to all of humanity.
The speaker said the historical land of Kurukshetra is guiding the whole world in the way of living. “Mahatma Gandhi believed the Bhagavad Gita gives inspiration in the same way as a mother takes care of her child,” the speaker said in his address at the Yuva Chetna Sammelan in Kurukshetra.
He said those involved in the freedom movement had taken inspiration from the Gita to fight for what’s right.
In his address as the chief guest on the valedictory function of the 6th three-day International Gita Seminar organised by the Kurukshetra University, the speaker said the foundation of Indian democracy was laid thousands of years ago by sages and thinkers with focus on peace, spiritually and equality.
“Being the largest and most powerful democracy in the world, India has shown the path of spirituality, inner peace and selfless Karma to the world,” he said.
He appreciated the efforts of the Kurukshetra University in organising the seminar which will “motivate younger generations to take inspiration from the Gita and imbibe its values in their lives”.
Meanwhile, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Gita Mahotsav has become an international event and is playing an important role in disseminating the universal message of “Karma, Bhakti, Gyan and Moksha” to the world.
He said the state government is committed for overall development of all religious places in Kurukshetra and has included 30 more ‘Teerth Sthalas’ in the list of the already existing 130 in the 48 kos ‘parikrama’ of Mahabharata circuit in five districts of Haryana.
Gita shlokas’ chanting in schools: Khattar
Khattar said the state government has decided to start chanting of Gita shlokas in schools from the next academic session. The shlokas will be taught to students of Class 5 and 6 as Gita is the “essence of life”.
He said due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gita Mahotsav is now being celebrated on an international level.
Lakhs of people are visiting Kurukshetra due to this event and the district has got a new identity on the map of global religious tourism.
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