Haryana to introduce 'Bhagwad Gita' in schools this year

The Haryana government will introduce the teaching of "Bhagwad Gita", a Hindu scripture, in school curriculum from the new academic session this year, said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday.

Khattar, who heads the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, told media that the scripture will be introduced for school students across Haryana from the academic session starting in April.

"We will be introducing 'Bhagwad Gita' in schools from the coming academic session. Students will be taught shlokas from it," he said.

The opposition Congress had earlier, in guarded criticism of the BJP government, had accused it of trying to give a religious colour to the introduction of "Bhagwad Gita".

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had said that the BJP government was trying to push its Hindutva agenda.

"The Bhagwad Gita belongs to all and no party can lay claim over it," Hooda had said.

Kurukshetra, the battlefield described in the mythological epic "Mahabharata" and where the sermon of "Bhagwad Gita" was given by Lord Krishna to Pandava warrior Arjun, is located in Haryana.