BJP MPs seek compulsory education of Hindu religious texts, bill listed in Parliament

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Nov 29 (ANI): BJP MPs from Lok Sabha including a former union minister have listed a private member bill in the ongoing session of Parliament to make compulsory the inclusion of Hindu religious texts as part of the education system.
While Satypal Singh's bill demands that teaching of several Hindu texts including Upanishads, Ramayana, Maharashtra, and the Bhagwad Gita are made mandatory in schools, MP Ramesh Bidhuri's bill focuses only on the Bhagwat Gita.
Singh's private member bill -- The Constitution Amendment Bill 2019 -- states that teaching of ancient Hindu texts like Upanishads, Ramayana, Maharashtra, the Bhagwat Gita, and the Vedas should be made mandatory by the government.
In his submission for the private member bill, Singh points out that Article 28 keeps religious instructions out of the public education system.
"However, it was never the intention of constitution-makers to keep the study and learning of traditional knowledge system and civilisation heritage including the study of such great texts like Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharat, Ramayana from out of public education system. Yet these were kept out leading Indians to feel alien about their cultural and civilisational moorings and it does not augur well for the country. There is thus, a case for amendment for article 28 to provide for the teaching of our traditional knowledge and ancient texts," the bill states.
South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri has mentioned in the similar bill -- The Teaching of Bhagwad Gita as a Compulsory Moral Education Textbook in Educational Institutions Bill 2019 -- for listing.
Bidhuri's bill calls for the compulsory teaching of the Bhagwat Gita and quotes Mahatma Gandhi to emphasise his ability to learn from the religious text. Mahatma had also stated that Gita provided him with moral support during his times of need, it says.
"When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad Gita. Let the Gita be to you a mine of diamonds, as it has been to me, let it be your constant guide and friend on life's way, " the bill quotes Bapu as saying. (ANI)