Hindus ask Russian court to drop case against holy book
The background of this article is that the Russian Orthodox Church is flexing their new found political muscles to persecute other religions. They are leveraging a law designed to combat religious fundamental extremism to further their religious bigotry.
For Hindus it’s the Song of God, but prosecutors in the Russian city of Tomsk want the Bhagavad Gita banned, calling it an extremist book that sows social discord.
A court was supposed to have rendered a decision Monday on the proposed ban, but adjourned until December 28 to hear more academic opinion on the matter.
Hindus around the world have expressed outrage at the treatment of one of the most important texts of Hinduism. The 700-verse scripture, written as a message from God taught by Lord Krishna, is a part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
The Indian ambassador to Russia, which guarantees religious freedom, objected to the Tomsk prosecutor’s charges. And the Indian parliament erupted in harsh words for Russia. Angry lawmakers in the lower house demanded to know what action the Indian government planned to take.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, said it was first notified of a complaint filed by the public prosecutor’s office that objected to the third Russian edition of the Gita with commentary by ISCKON founder Swami Prabhupada. The complaint called portions of the book “objectionable” and “extremist.”