'Gita' teaching sparks row in Karnataka

Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has landed in a row over its support to teaching of Hindu holy book 'Bhagvad Gita' in schools.

Updated on: Jul 19, 2011, 15:38:37 IST

IANS | By HT Correspondent, Bangalore

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Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has landed in a row over its support to teaching of Hindu holy book 'Bhagvad Gita' in schools.

The controversy took a new turn after primary and secondary education minister Vishwanath Hegde Kageri said on July 14 that those opposing the Gita teaching should quit India.

Kageri said teaching the holy book was necessary to inculcate moral values in students. He made the comment at a function in Kolar, 65 km from Bangalore.

On July 8, he had announced in Bangalore that the government was "open to making Bhagvad Gita teaching compulsory in schools".

But higher education minister VS Acharya said the programme should not be seen as religious teaching.

"There is no connection between Bhagavad Gita and religion. Gita has more to do with human values," Acharya asserted.

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