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Political Row Erupts after Gandhi Peace Prize Awarded to Gita Press
Political Row Erupts after Gandhi Peace Prize Awarded to Gita Press
Sputnik India
A political row has erupted in India after Gita Press, a prominent publisher of Hindu religious texts in the country, was awarded The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021.
2023-06-20T12:17+0530
2023-06-20T12:17+0530
2023-06-20T12:17+0530
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A political row has erupted in India after Gita Press, a prominent publisher of Hindu religious texts in the country, was awarded The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021.India's main opposition party Congress slammed the Narendra Modi government’s decision to select Gita Press for the coveted award, but the federally-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the objection, calling the Congress Party a “Hindu-hating party.”Gita Press was awarded the 2021 Gandhi Peace Prize on Sunday; the publisher was recognized for its outstanding contribution to social, economic, and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.The award carries with it a cash prize of INR 10 million ($122,066), a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.In the past, organizations receiving the award included the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Ramakrishna Mission, Akshaya Patra, Sulabh International, and luminaries like the late Dr. Nelson Mandela, Baba Amte, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, among others.The Reaction of PoliticiansAfter the award was conferred to Gita Press, senior Congress politician Jairam Ramesh slammed the government. He said that the decision, taken by a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a “travesty” and is like awarding Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse.Reacting to the tweet of Congress politician, the ruling BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called Congress a “Hindu hating party.”He further taunted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over Congress’ remark on Savarkar as he wrote: “Does Uddhav Sena agree with their attack on Hindus, Hindutva and even on Savarkar?”Assam State Chief Himanta Biswa Sarma also lashed out at the Congress as he accused the party of “unleashing a war against India's civilizational values and rich legacy.”Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Gita Press for receiving the award.
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Political Row Erupts after Gandhi Peace Prize Awarded to Gita Press
The Government of India instituted the Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
A political row has erupted in India after
Gita Press, a prominent publisher of
Hindu religious texts in the country, was awarded
The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021.
India's
main opposition party Congress slammed the Narendra Modi government’s decision to select Gita Press for the coveted award, but the federally-ruling
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the objection, calling the
Congress Party a “Hindu-hating party.”
Gita Press was awarded the 2021 Gandhi Peace Prize on Sunday; the publisher was recognized for its outstanding contribution to social, economic, and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
The award carries with it a cash prize of INR 10 million ($122,066), a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.
The citation reads: “Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world's largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore (417 million) books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore (162 million) Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. The institution has never relied on advertisement in its publications for revenue generation. Gita Press along with its affiliated organizations, strives for the betterment of life and the well-being of all."
In the past, organizations receiving the award included the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Ramakrishna Mission, Akshaya Patra, Sulabh International, and luminaries like the late Dr. Nelson Mandela, Baba Amte, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, among others.
The Reaction of Politicians
After the award was conferred to Gita Press, senior
Congress politician Jairam Ramesh slammed the government.
He said that the decision, taken by a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a “travesty” and is like awarding Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse.
“The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 has been conferred on the Gita Press at Gorakhpur which is celebrating its centenary this year. There is a very fine biography from 2015 of this organization by Akshaya Mukul in which he unearths the stormy relations it had with the Mahatma and the running battles it carried on with him on his political, religious & social agenda. The decision is really a travesty and is like awarding Savarkar and Godse,” Ramesh’s tweet read.
Reacting to the tweet of Congress politician, the ruling
BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called Congress a “Hindu hating party.”
Pointing out Ramesh's tweet, he tweeted: “Congress has sheer hatred for anything Hindu. From Hindu terror to opposing Ram Mandir to Bhagwa terror to blaming Hindus for 26/11 & now attacking Gita Press. Congress = Hindu hating party! They wanted to ensure Ram Mandir is never built.”
He further taunted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over Congress’ remark on Savarkar as he wrote: “Does Uddhav Sena agree with their attack on Hindus, Hindutva and even on Savarkar?”
In another tweet, the BJP spokesperson said: “Congress hates Gita Press because is spread the real message of Sanatan & Hinduism to every nook and corner. Congress finds Muslim league as secular but Gita Press is communal; Zakir Naik is shanti ka messiah but Gita Press is communal (Zakir Naik is messenger of peace but Gita Press is communal),” he added.
Assam State Chief Himanta Biswa Sarma also lashed out at the Congress as he accused the party of “unleashing a war against India's civilizational values and rich legacy.”
Referring to scrapping of anti-conversion law in Karnataka recently, Sarma said in a tweet: “With the win in Karnataka, Congress has now openly unleashed a war against India's civilizational values and rich legacy, be it in the form of repeal of anti-conversion law or criticism against Gita Press. People of India will resist this aggression and reassert our civilization values with equal aggression.”
Earlier on Sunday,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Gita Press for receiving the award.
