Gita Banned, Bible Allowed - Equality or a Quiet Hypocrisy?
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A Scene That Shouldn’t Exist
Picture this.
In a government school classroom, the teacher announces:
“From now on, Bhagavad Gita lessons will no longer be part of the syllabus.”
Some students look confused. Some don’t care.
But a few hours later, in the same building, another class begins - Moral Science.
Here, the students read out verses from the Bible.
The teacher explains their meaning, encourages discussion, and praises the moral lessons inside.
You stand outside that classroom, eyebrows raised.
The question bursts in your mind:
Why is one scripture banned in the name of secularism, while another is welcomed as moral education?
Read this Article :
A Scene That Shouldn’t Exist
Picture this.
In a government school classroom, the teacher announces:
“From now on, Bhagavad Gita lessons will no longer be part of the syllabus.”
Some students look confused. Some don’t care.
But a few hours later, in the same building, another class begins - Moral Science.
Here, the students read out verses from the Bible.
The teacher explains their meaning, encourages discussion, and praises the moral lessons inside.
You stand outside that classroom, eyebrows raised.
The question bursts in your mind:
Why is one scripture banned in the name of secularism, while another is welcomed as moral education?
The Gita - More Than a Hindu Scripture
Before we go further, let’s clear one myth.
The Bhagavad Gita is not a book of blind rituals or sectarian preaching.
It is a philosophical dialogue - 700 verses of pure guidance for life, spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between Krishna and Arjuna.
It doesn’t tell you which god to worship - it tells you how to live.
It speaks of:
- Doing your duty even when you feel weak.
- Facing failure without losing yourself.
- Making decisions when morality and pressure clash.
- Rising above ego, fear, and selfishness.
Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and even Western thinkers like Aldous Huxley found personal strength in it.
Yet today, in some Indian schools, the Gita is labelled “religious” and removed from the syllabus.
Before we go further, let’s clear one myth.
The Bhagavad Gita is not a book of blind rituals or sectarian preaching.
It is a philosophical dialogue - 700 verses of pure guidance for life, spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between Krishna and Arjuna.
It doesn’t tell you which god to worship - it tells you how to live.
It speaks of:
- Doing your duty even when you feel weak.
- Facing failure without losing yourself.
- Making decisions when morality and pressure clash.
- Rising above ego, fear, and selfishness.
Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and even Western thinkers like Aldous Huxley found personal strength in it.
Yet today, in some Indian schools, the Gita is labelled “religious” and removed from the syllabus.
Bible in Schools - The Different Treatment
Now, compare this to the Bible’s presence in many schools - especially in missionary institutions and even some private schools with a Christian ethos.
Here, Bible readings are often part of:
- Morning assemblies
- Moral science classes
- Special festive programs
For non-Christian students, it is usually framed as “moral lessons” or “character building” - not as religious preaching.
And most parents accept it, even if they follow other faiths, because it is taught in a general, value-oriented way.
Here’s the contradiction:
If Bible verses can be seen as “universal moral guidance” in schools, then why can’t the Gita’s verses be treated the same way?
If one can inspire without “converting”, why is the other accused of “communal influence”?
Now, compare this to the Bible’s presence in many schools - especially in missionary institutions and even some private schools with a Christian ethos.
Here, Bible readings are often part of:
- Morning assemblies
- Moral science classes
- Special festive programs
For non-Christian students, it is usually framed as “moral lessons” or “character building” - not as religious preaching.
And most parents accept it, even if they follow other faiths, because it is taught in a general, value-oriented way.
Here’s the contradiction:
If Bible verses can be seen as “universal moral guidance” in schools, then why can’t the Gita’s verses be treated the same way?
If one can inspire without “converting”, why is the other accused of “communal influence”?
Where the Bias Comes From
This double standard isn’t an accident. It’s a result of three deep-rooted issues:
1. Colonial Hangover
During British rule, Indian knowledge systems were downgraded as “myths” or “superstitions”, while Western religious and philosophical works were seen as “education”.
That mentality never completely left the system - it’s still in parts of our education policy and bureaucracy.
2. Fear of Offence
Schools and politicians fear being labelled “majoritarian” or “communal” if they promote anything connected to Hindu culture.
Ironically, promoting minority religious texts doesn’t trigger the same political panic.
3. Misinterpretation of Secularism
India’s Constitution says all religions are equal in the eyes of the state.
But in practice, secularism is often twisted into:
“Avoid majority culture, showcase minority culture - that way, no one can accuse us of bias.”
Which, ironically, is bias.
This double standard isn’t an accident. It’s a result of three deep-rooted issues:
1. Colonial Hangover
During British rule, Indian knowledge systems were downgraded as “myths” or “superstitions”, while Western religious and philosophical works were seen as “education”.
That mentality never completely left the system - it’s still in parts of our education policy and bureaucracy.
2. Fear of Offence
Schools and politicians fear being labelled “majoritarian” or “communal” if they promote anything connected to Hindu culture.
Ironically, promoting minority religious texts doesn’t trigger the same political panic.
3. Misinterpretation of Secularism
India’s Constitution says all religions are equal in the eyes of the state.
But in practice, secularism is often twisted into:
“Avoid majority culture, showcase minority culture - that way, no one can accuse us of bias.”
Which, ironically, is bias.
The Real Loss - Students Pay the Price
This selective approach doesn’t just create unfairness - it robs students of valuable learning.
Without the Gita, students miss out on:
- Mental Strength Training: Arjuna’s fear and self-doubt mirror what students feel before exams, competitions, or life decisions.
- Clarity in Chaos: Krishna’s calm logic teaches how to think clearly under pressure.
- Emotional Balance: Win without arrogance, lose without depression - a life skill no math textbook can teach.
Think about it - our youth are drowning in anxiety, depression, and confusion. And here we are, throwing away one of the most effective mental health guides ever written because someone might get “offended”
This selective approach doesn’t just create unfairness - it robs students of valuable learning.
Without the Gita, students miss out on:
- Mental Strength Training: Arjuna’s fear and self-doubt mirror what students feel before exams, competitions, or life decisions.
- Clarity in Chaos: Krishna’s calm logic teaches how to think clearly under pressure.
- Emotional Balance: Win without arrogance, lose without depression - a life skill no math textbook can teach.
Think about it - our youth are drowning in anxiety, depression, and confusion. And here we are, throwing away one of the most effective mental health guides ever written because someone might get “offended”
The Equality Test
If we truly believe in equality, then we must apply one simple rule:
- Either all sacred books are taught as literature/philosophy with focus on values,
- Or none are taught in schools.
What we cannot accept is this:
- Bible = Moral Education
- Gita = Religious Preaching
That is not secularism. That is selective morality - and it smells of hypocrisy.
If we truly believe in equality, then we must apply one simple rule:
- Either all sacred books are taught as literature/philosophy with focus on values,
- Or none are taught in schools.
What we cannot accept is this:
- Bible = Moral Education
- Gita = Religious Preaching
That is not secularism. That is selective morality - and it smells of hypocrisy.
The Bigger Cultural Question
A nation’s strength lies not just in its economy or military, but in how deeply its citizens understand their roots.
If tomorrow’s Indians can quote Shakespeare and Bible verses but hesitate when asked, “What did Krishna tell Arjuna?”, then we have failed as a society.
The Gita belongs to no single religion. It belongs to anyone who has ever felt lost, afraid, or stuck at a crossroads in life.
Banning it is not a win for secularism - it is a loss for humanity.
A nation’s strength lies not just in its economy or military, but in how deeply its citizens understand their roots.
If tomorrow’s Indians can quote Shakespeare and Bible verses but hesitate when asked, “What did Krishna tell Arjuna?”, then we have failed as a society.
The Gita belongs to no single religion. It belongs to anyone who has ever felt lost, afraid, or stuck at a crossroads in life.
Banning it is not a win for secularism - it is a loss for humanity.
The Oxygen Analogy
If the Bible in a classroom is “guidance”, then the Gita is oxygen -
and no sane person bans oxygen.
It’s time to stop being afraid of our own heritage.
It’s time to teach our children all the world’s wisdom, including the one that was born right here.
Because if we keep cutting our roots, one day we will wake up and realise -
we are standing, but we are not grounded.
If the Bible in a classroom is “guidance”, then the Gita is oxygen -
and no sane person bans oxygen.
It’s time to stop being afraid of our own heritage.
It’s time to teach our children all the world’s wisdom, including the one that was born right here.
Because if we keep cutting our roots, one day we will wake up and realise -
we are standing, but we are not grounded.
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