Uproar as Russia seeks to ban Gita

Political parties on Tuesday voiced their concern on a pending verdict on plea to ban The Bhagavad Gita in Russia, a sacred text of Hinduism, while the government assured that it had taken up the issue at the “highest levels.”Describing the move as “absurd,” External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Tuesday said the complaint in a local Russian court appears to be the work of some ignorant and misdirected or motivated individuals.Krishna, seeking to assuage the concern expressed by members on Monday over the proceedings at a court in the Siberian town of Tomsk, said, “While this complaint is patently absurd, we have treated this matter seriously and the Embassy of India is closely monitoring this legal case.”The minister said the Bhagwad Gita was not simply a religious text.“It is one of the defining treatises of Indian thought and describes the very soul of our great civilisation.”Krishna said the Gita was far above “any cheap propaganda or attacks by the ignorant or the misdirected.The minister also pointed out that in Russia itself, there were many great Indologists, scholars and experts “who understand the essence of the Gita and have written on it with reverence and passion.”“We do not want to dignify with too much attention some misdirected individuals who have filed an absurd complaint. We are confident that our Russian friends, who understand our civilisational values and cultural sensitivities, will resolve this matter appropriately,” Krishna said.He also referred to a statement made by Russian Ambassador in India Alexander M. Kadakin, whom he described as a “well known Indologist.”“In fact the ambassador has been publicly critical of this episode. He has stated that Gita is a great source of wisdom for the people of India and the world. He also said that Russia is a secular and democratic country where all religions enjoy equal respect,” Krishna said.Giving the background, he said The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) had conveyed to Indian Embassy that its branch in Tomsk,  had received a notice in June 2011, of a complaint filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the local court.This complaint, apparently driven by some local individuals, was to the effect that the third Russian edition of the publication Bhagwad Gita As It is — a translation of a commentary by Swami Prabhupada, founder of Iskcon — had certain portions that were “objectionable” and “extremist” in nature.Following the initial proceedings in August, the district court appointed its own three member expert group from the University of Kemerovo (in Siberia), which was to submit a report within three months.The final hearing was due on Dec.19, but has been rescheduled for Dec. 28, as the court has agreed to seek the opinion of the Russian Ombudsman on Human Rights in Tomsk district, and of Indologists from Moscow and St Petersburg.“Officials in Moscow and our ambassador have been in regular touch with Iskcon, since this matter came to light in June,” he added.“Iskcon representatives were advised to take legal recourse to counter this misdirected complaint. We have also taken up this matter at the senior levels of the Russian government.”Leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj, however, wanted the government to take a more pro-active stand in the matter, including declaring the Gita as a “national book.”