SC declines PIL seeking to make 'Bhagwad Gita' national scripture

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking direction to the central government to declare the "Bhagwad Gita" as a national scripture, saying that the Hindu sacred book varies for different people with different beliefs.

Telling the petitioner, advocate M.K.Balakrishnan, that the directions sought by him were beyond the domain of the court, a bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu, Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice Arun Mishra said: "One person may think that this is a sacred book for me, other may say that about another book."

"Every citizen has a mind set about which is a sacred book. How can we give a declaration," the court said, adding: "People have their own mind to decide what they want to study."

Declining the PIL, the court reminded Balakrishnan the teaching from the scripture about "doing your work without caring for the results".

As Balakrishnan recited some shlokas from the scripture, Chief Justice Dattu said that on Friday the court are hearing shlokas from the Gita, citing the couple recited by lawyer Lily Thomas telling the court that it was its obligation to ensure security for women and freedom of religion.