BJP, Cong lock horns over SC Justice Dave`s `Gita in Class I` remark

Zee Media Bureau/Tarun Khanna

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Justice, AR Dave`s recent suggestion to introduce Mahabharata and Bhagwad Gita in Class I has created a controversy as both the Congress and the BJP are at loggerheads with each other over the issue. While the Congress disagrees with Dave`s opinion, the BJP on the other hand is backing the view. “Logics are missing in AR Dave`s statement. Class I students don`t even know how to read,” said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi. He further went on to say that Dave`s judgements as a judge should be reconsidered.

His (AR Dave) judgements, given as a judge should be re-considered: Rashid Alvi on Justice AR Dave

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2014

Meanwhile, taking a jibe at Alvi, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that indeed the Congress should reconsider the former`s position as the party`s spokesperson. He also said that the BJP welcomes Dave`s statement and it should not be looked through the prism of religion. Furthermore, Dave also got support from another BJP leader Yogi Adityanath who said that the ancient epics impart good moral and should be introduced. `Such statements shouldn`t be seen from communal aspect,” he added. Besides Congress, Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju has also disagreed with Dave`s remarks and said that this is against our country`s secular feature.

I totally disagree with Justice Dave who said that Gita should be made compulsory in schools. In a country of such diversity as ours,there

— Markandey Katju (@mkatju) August 3, 2014

Dave had yesterday said that to curb terrorism and violence, children at the young age should be introduced to religious books like Mahabharat and Bhagwat Gita. He further said that if he were a dictator of India, he would have introduced both the books in class one.