NEW DELHI: Pressing for the Centre to declare Bhagwad Gita as a "rashtriya granth" (national scripture), external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said only a formality remained to be done in this regard, triggering a controversy with Trinamool Congress saying Constitution is the "Holy Book" in a democracy.
Swaraj was speaking at the "Gita Prerna Mahotsav", organized "to celebrate 5,151 years of religious book Gita" at the Red Fort maidan in the national capital where VHP president Ashok Singhal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately declare the sacred text of Hindus as a national scripture.
The minister said she was able to face the challenges as external affairs minister only because of the teachings of Bhagvad Gita.
She also said that the respect of a "national scripture" was accorded to Gita when Prime Minister Modi gifted it to U.S President Barack Obama during his visit to the country in September this year.
READ MORE: Tibet Launches General Survey Of Classics Collections and Arvind Kejriwal To Address Students At Columbia University
