After Gujarat, Karnataka likely to introduce Bhagavad Gita in school syllabus

After Gujarat, the ruling BJP government in Karnataka is all set to introduce Bhagavad Gita in the school syllabus.

According to sources, the education department, though giving diplomatic statements in this regard, is preparing to teach the Bhagavad Gita, the holy Hindu scripture to students under the moral science subject.

However, Congress has maintained that the present syllabus has been prepared by resourceful persons and there is no need to include anything now.

Education Minister B.C. Nagesh reacting to the issue on Friday said that a decision will be taken on mandating the teachings of Bhagavad Gita to school children under moral science subject after the consultation of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Minister Nagesh stated that the demand is growing for the inclusion of moral science into the syllabus of children as it has a good impact. In Gujarat, they are planning to implement it in three phases. In the first phase they have introduced the Bhagavad Gita, he said.

"I will discuss with C.M Bommai in the coming days for implementation of the moral science subject in the syllabus for school children," he said.

He further added, "The moral science classes were held once a week when we studied in school. In the coming days, we will see whether this could be adopted in the state syllabus."

"If everything is agreed upon, we will consult education experts and decide on the aspects and syllabus of the moral science subject. The duration of the class will also be fixed. Why Bhagavad Gita should not be taught to the children?" Minister Nagesh questioned.

Former Union Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna used to say that he reads Bhagavad Gita every day and that gives him strength. In this country, all tall leaders, elders who have thought about the nation have talked highly about Bhagavad Gita. "Whether we introduce Bhagavad Gita, the education experts should tell us. They might suggest Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan, moral stories or they might also recommend a few portions of Quran and Bible, he explained.

"When you ask someone how a well-cultured society can take shape in the absence of schools and universities from the times immemorial in the country? The elders say that they read or heard about Ramayan, Mahabharath and Bhagavad Gita," he said.

Mahatma Gandhi, in his autobiography, has written that his mother`s teachings on Ramayana and Mahabharath during his childhood days helped him to evolve as a truthful person. He also said that Satya Harishchandra's enactment also influenced him to be truthful, Minister Nagesh explained.

Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani stated that Bhagavad Gita has human values and children need to learn about those values. The government of Gujarat has taken a decision to add Bhagavad Gita in the syllabus and a decision should be taken in Karnataka also to introduce Bhagavad Gita to children, he said.

BJP senior leader M.P. Renukacharya stated that he would welcome the decision to include Bhagavad Gita in the syllabus. Young BJP MLA Kudachi Rajiv stated that he has been reading Bhagavad Gita for 10 years and it is one of the best pieces of literature available in the world.

D.K. Shivakumar, State Congress President has stated that there are lessons on Ramayan, Bhagavad Gita and other religious holy books in the syllabus. There is no necessity to glorify anything now, he opined.

"I have opposed the National Education Policy (NEP) in the beginning. The present syllabus includes everything. There is no necessity to include anything new to it. There is nothing left for BJP to take credit for the issue. Our Late Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah had distributed copies of the Bhagavad Gita for Rs 2 earlier," he said.

(Agency report)