Opposition to Gita Press is an insult to our culture: MP CM Chouhan

The world’s largest publisher of Hindu religious texts, Gita Press based in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh refused the Rs one crore cash award for the Gandhi Peace Prize amidst political row over its selection for the prestigious honour.

General secretary-in-charge of communications of Congress, Jairam Ramesh expressed that the decision to honour Gita Press with the Gandhi Peace Prize is just a charade and seems like awarding Savarkar and Godse.  He was referring to Hindutva crusader VD Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi’s killer Nathuram Godse.

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan lashed out at the Congress and believes their opposition to the Gita Press is like an insult. “Opposition to the Gita Press being named for the Gandhi Peace Prize was an ‘insult to our culture, traditions, life values and religion.’ He further added, “since childhood, I have read spiritual literature of the Gita Press which inspired us towards spirituality. I have great respect for the Gita Press. If there was no Gita Press, many religious texts would not have reached the public. Opposing the respect given to the Gita Press is an insult to our culture and the public will not tolerate this.”

Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh Narottam Mishra said the Gita Press has been printing religious texts since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not exist. He called the Congress’s reaction as “politics of appeasement”. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said nobody has any objection to its selection except those who consider Muslim League a secular organisation.

Gita Press trustee board had a meeting in Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh after the award announcement. They shared their thoughts and expressed that it was a matter of great honour to be bestowed with an award for 2021, but would not accept the Rs one crore cash element that comes with the prize maintaining its tradition of not accepting any kind of ‘donations’.

Gita Press management conveyed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conferring the award which was founded in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyanka and Ghanshyam Das Jalan for promoting the principles of Sanatan Dharma.