Allahabad, India - Controversy has erupted over an observation by the recommendation of a judge of the Allahabad High Court that the Bhagvad Gita be made the national dharma shastra or 'religious doctrine' of the country.
Constitutional experts and religious heads are outraged, but the Union Law Minister has played down the controversy.
HR Bhardwaj said it's just a stray observation and should be treated as such. "For Muslims, it is the Quran and the Christians have the Bible. Every religion has its own dharma shastra, so how can we say it (Geeta) is for the entire nation".
"We have to respect the scriptures of other religions. Therefore, the observation needs to be ignored. It does not apply to everybody," he said.
"No judge can think like this, that there should be no freedom of religion or conscience," Bhardwaj said.
In Lucknow, Member of Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Khalid Rashid said, "We and our religious leaders are also shocked at this Constitutional expert's judgment".
Former Chief Justice of India V.N. Khare said, "It is a personal view which you (the judge) cannot impose in a judgement".
"What he (the judge) says is not Constitutional," he added.
Justice SN Srivastava, who made these observations, is the same judge who had this April ruled that Muslims were not a minority group in Uttar Pradesh and hence educational institutions run by them were not entitled to benefits.
That order was however stayed by a division bench of the High Court.
This time round, Justice Srivastava says since India has a national flag, an anthem, a bird and an animal, it can have the Gita as its dharma shastra.
The judge said the Gita had inspired those involved in the freedom struggle and continues to inspire people from all walks of life.
The judge's observations came on August 30 during a hearing relating to a dispute between two brothers over a temple in Varanasi.
''It is the duty of every citizen of India under Article 51-A of the Constitution of India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, to follow dharma as propounded by the Gita,'' the judge had remarked.
Article 51 A relates to the fundamental duties of every citizen of India, and includes a solemn promise to abide by the Constitution, the national flag and the anthem.