A day after Trinamul Congress observes state-wide “Communal Harmony Day”, on 6 December, marking the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, a Gita chanting congregation is set to be held at the Brigade Parade Grounds on 7 December.
Organisers of the “Laksha Kantha Gita Path” (a lakh voices chanting Gita) have fixed an ambitious target of drawing nearly five lakh participants to the gathering, which they describe as an apolitical platform dedicated to the propagation of the Bhagavad Gita. The event, however, has already generated political heat with the announcement that the keynote speaker will be the controversial Hindutva leader and RSS-backed preacher Sadhvi Rithambara.
She was a prominent face of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the run-up to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and has long been accused by critics of delivering incendiary speeches that allegedly inflamed communal passions. Sources in the organising committee said that alongside Sadhvi Rithambara, a large contingent of ‘heavyweight’ Hindu seers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other states are expected to attend. Nearly 2,500 monks from various akharas across the country, including Assam, Tripura and other parts of the Northeast, are likely to converge at the Brigade. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Vrindavan’s Swami Gyanananda and Bageshwar Dham’s Dhirendrakrishna Shastri are among the prominent religious figures slated to participate.
The event is scheduled for 7 December and is being coordinated by the Gita Path Committee led by Swami Pradiptananda, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj. He said extensive preparations were underway across districts of West Bengal, with meetings being organised in both North and South Bengal to mobilise devotees. Speaking to The Statesman, Kartik Maharaj said the programme aims to promote unity and spiritual awakening among Hindus. “Gita path symbolises the fight against adharma and the triumph of righteousness. The Bhagavad Gita has always carried both spiritual wisdom and political relevance. Nationalist leaders drew moral strength from it in shaping India’s political consciousness. So, Gita path is a sacred duty for every Hindu,” he said.
Asked why Sadhvi Rithambara was chosen despite her polarising reputation, he replied: “She is a powerful speaker and expressed her desire to participate. This is not a political event. We are welcoming leaders of all political parties. The purpose is only to spread the message of the Gita.”
Opposition parties, however, see the event as part of a calculated political strategy ahead of the Assembly elections. Trinamul Congress state spokesperson Jai Prakash Majumdar said that Bengal people will only accept Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swamiji and Ma Sarada and will reject the culture of Hindi cow belt. “This is a ridiculous political game of helpless BJP ahead of Assembly polls. Organisers claim 5 lakh people will attend. In reality, they struggle to arrange 25,000 people for a rally. People here will not accept Baba Ram Dev and Sadhvi Rithambara,” said Jay Prakash Majumdar.
Senior BJP leader and MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato said that in Bengal, the Trinamul Congress, CPI-M and Congress always portray Gita chanting as a political event, whereas the BJP considers it a completely apolitical platform — a congregation of Hindus coming together to honour what they regard as the greatest religious scripture, the Gita.