These are the days of social media domination everywhere. Anybody can use this social media to create any kind of controversy from out of nothing. And for political parties, the social media has come as a big weapon to target their political rivals.
A controversy has erupted after Telugu Desam Party’s MLA from Madakasira assembly constituency M S Raju, who allegedly made remarks disparaging the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaking at a local event, Raju, who also serves as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board, allegedly said that the Bhagavad Gita “has not changed our lives,” prompting strong reactions from devotees and Hindu groups.
Critics have questioned how a person holding a position in the TTD Board, a body deeply rooted in Hindu spiritual traditions, could make such statements.
Religious organisations have demanded his removal from the board, calling his comments “disrespectful to sacred scriptures.”
The YSR Congress party lost no time in making the video of Raju’s comments viral and attacking him for his objectionable comments on the Bhagavad Gita.
The YSRCP, in a statement accused the TDP MLA of saying that Bhagavad Gita has not changed people’s lives.
But if one were to look at the original video footage of Raju’s speech, he did not specifically make any comments against Bhagavad Gita. He was speaking on the importance of the Indian Constitution drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar.
“Hindus worship Bhagavad Gita as the holy book; Christians respect Bible and Muslims revere Holy Quran. It is their respective faith. But all religions in the country respect the Indian Constitution, written by Ambedkar,” he said.
The TDP MLA went on to add that the lives of people of the country have undergone transformation in the country, not because they follow Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran, but because of Indian Constitution.
He credited the Constitution of India for bringing real change to society.
“He did not discredit Bhagavad Gita nor did he make any blasphemous comment against it,” an analyst said.
He pointed out that, in fact, the MLA mentioned about all the three holy scriptures, but the social media gave it a twist, taking only Bhagavad Gita to create controversy, and leaving the other two scriptures, obviously to target the MLA.
“His comments should be seen as a strong endorsement of constitutional values and social justice reforms over religious doctrine,” the analyst added.