Sushma Swaraj pushes for declaring Gita as national scripture

New Delhi Pushing for declaring Bhagwad Gita as a national scripture External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said only a formal announcement remained in this regard sparking a controversy with TMC and and Congress coming out with sharp responsesReacting to Swarajs remarks the Trinamool CongressTMC said only the Constitution is the Holy Book in a democracy while Congress called her statement frivolousSushma SwarajSwaraj made the remarks while speaking at Gita Prerna Mahotsav organised to celebrate 5151 years of religious book Gita at the Red Fort Maidan here where VHP President Ashok Singhal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately declare the sacred text of Hindus as a national scriptureSwaraj said that the respect of a national scripture was already accorded to Gita when Prime Minister Modi gifted it to US President Barack Obama during his visit to the country in September this year Bhagwad Gita has answers to everybodys problems and thats why I said it while standing in the Parliament that Shrimad Bhagwad Gita should be declared as a rashtriya granthholy scriptureThe formal announcement for it hasnt been made since the NDA government came to power But I am happy to say that the Prime Minister has already given it the honour of a national Rashtriya Granth when he handed over the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita to Americas President Barack ObamaOnly a formal announcement now remained she said The Minister said she was able to face the challenges as External Affairs Minister only beacuse of the teachings of Bhagwad Gita ThisGita has helped me all through my life Even now when I am handling the External Affairs and the challenges related to it she said Referring to cases where people consume chocolates and pop pills to fight depression she said Eating chocolates or popping pills wont reduce depression Instead one must read GitaThis will help relieve the stress and depression in life It will help in dealing with challenges of life Reacting to Swarajs remarks on declaring Gita as a national scripture TMC leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Constitution was the Holy Book in a democracy Our Constitution says India is a secular country The Constitution is the Holy Book in a democracy Banerjee told PTI in KolkataWe respect all holy books equally They are all ourpride she said adding Quran Puran Ved Vedanta Bible Tripitak ZendAvesta Guru Granth Sahib Gita we respect all Congress leader Manish Tewari said the essence of the Gita lies in its substance and not in its symbolismSo if anybody has seriously read and internalised the teachings of the Gita they would not make such a frivolous statement he said Singhal said there are two ways to declare Gita a national scriptureFirst is to pass a bill and declare it as a national scriptureBut if the Prime Minister immediately declares it as a national scriptureSushma Swaraj is present here today As a member of the Union Cabinet I request Swaraj to make Prime Minister Modi declare Gita as the national scripture Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar said the UN should also declare Gita Divas as it is announcing June 21 as Yoga Day