I dream of an India where president takes oath on Vedas: Satya Pal Singh

Union minister Satya Pal Singh Thursday said he dreams of an India where the president takes the oath of office on the Vedas like the US president does on the Bible.

The Union minister of state for human resource development made the remarks at the launch of a four-day global convention of the Arya Samaj which he said was a "mahakumbh" of its followers.

"We have seen that the US president swears the oath of office on the Bible... I dream about an India where the president takes the oath with the Vedas (Hindu religious texts) in one hand," he said.

He also said that "rishi gyaan" (the teachings of sages) is a solution to all the issues facing the country.

The minister said that the country will have to return to the Vedas to restore its "lost pride".

On the occasion, Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Dev Vrat said Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj, championed the rights of women. "Actually, he was the one who first gave the message of using swadeshi products," he added.

The governor said the four-day convention will discuss "welfare of cows, farmer suicides, environment crisis, eco-agriculture and health issues".

Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said he was closely associated with the RSS and the Arya Samaj, the teachings of which encouraged him to give up his caste and sub-caste.

"Nobody present here would know what my caste is," he said and praised the Arya Samaj for working towards creating a casteless society and eradicating superstition.