India News | Mass Gita Chant Organisers Say PM Likely to Attend Meet, Already Invited Mamata
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Organisers of 'Ek Lakh Gita Path' programme, in which one lakh people are scheduled to chant the Bhagavad Gita on December 24 in Kolkata, said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the event.
Kolkata, Dec 14 (PTI) Organisers of 'Ek Lakh Gita Path' programme, in which one lakh people are scheduled to chant the Bhagavad Gita on December 24 in Kolkata, said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the event.
Vice-President of the organising committee of the programme, Srimant Nirgunanada Brahmachari, said they had already sent a written invitation to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and would invite her again if protocol was an issue.
"Being sadhus, we are not much well versed about the official procedures to be followed for inviting a high-profile guest like the CM," he told a press conference.
As the chief minister holds Kali Puja at her residence and chants slokas praising the goddess Durga, she is a deeply religious person, he said and asked why could not she attend the function.
Asked about the possibility of Modi attending the event, Brahmachari said, "We have been informed that the Special Protection Group (SPG) entrusted with the security of the PM has cleared the visit of Modi-ji to Brigade Parade Ground on December 24.”
Brigade Parade Ground is in the heart of the city.
A state-level BJP leader told PTI that as things stand now, the prime minister is very likely to attend the Gita chanting session.
"A podium is being built as per standard security guidelines where Modi-ji will be seated. The Gita path session will take place on another podium while around 1000 sadhus will be seated on a third podium," Brahmachari said.
The organising committee consists of three Hindu religious bodies - Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, Matilal Bharat Tirtha Seba Mission Ashram and Akhil Bharatiya Sanskrit Parishad.
Stressing that they don't have links with any political party, Brahmachari told PTI: "We invite all sanatan Hindus to attend this spiritual awakening session irrespective of their political ideologies."
He also denied that the programme has any links to next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Asked whether Banerjee would share the podium with Modi in case she decides to attend the function, he said let her give consent to attend it first.
Reacting to the claims by the organisers that Banerjee was invited to the programme, the ruling Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told PTI that the party supremo does not need the certificate of anyone to flaunt her religious beliefs and spiritual side.
"She is a devout Hindu who observes fast during certain puja rituals at home, cooks 'bhog' (offerings to god) at home during Kali Puja and respects each and every religion," he said.
Senior TMC leader Tapas Roy said, "It is up to them to invite whom they like and it is up to the invited person to accept the invite."
President of the organising committee Swami Pradiptananda Maharaj said, "We have got reports that threats are being issued from certain quarters not to hire buses for ferrying people, including sadhus, to the programme.”
He requested the administration and all concerned to ensure that this does not happen.
"This will be a proud moment for every resident of the state when more than one lakh men and women will chant the Gita in unison. We can foretell that this will find place in the Guinness Book of World Records when chanting will be accompanied by blowing conch shells by 50,000 people," Maharaj said.
Brahmachari requested the state government to hold the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) exams scheduled on December 24 on another date to enable the candidates and those associated with it to attend the Gita chanting session.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)