'Lifting of ban on Bhagvad Gita good for entire humanity': BJP

New Delhi, Mar 21 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday welcomed a Russian court's decision to dismiss an appeal for ban on 'Bhagvad Gita as it is', saying the religious text is a pure discourse on humanity and only those people can put a ban on it who don't understand humanity or who have no knowledge at all.

Lauding the decision of the Russian court, BJP leader Tarun Vijay said it was baseless to impose a ban on the holy book, the Bhagvad Gita.

"The lifting of ban on Gita in Russia is a good thing. Not just for Russia, but for the entire humanity, it is good. Imposing a ban on Gita is like putting a ban on the Himalayas or on the sun and the moon. The Gita is a pure discourse on humanity and only those people can put a ban on it who don't understand humanity or who have no knowledge at all," said Vijay.

"We express gratitude over this and we welcome it. We thank Putin (Prime minister and President-elect of Russia Vladimir Putin) also for this," he added.

Meanwhile, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) spokesperson V. N. Das welcomed the court's ruling, and said it was necessary for people to read the book and understand what is preached in it.

"People who allege that the Gita spreads hatred and it is a means of propagating militancy are ignorant people because they have not read the Gita. People should read the Gita and understand it as to the context in which Lord Krishna has made a particular remark. Then only they will understand or else they will remain ignorant," said Das.

"We appeal to everyone that they should read the Gita and understand it. They should think before they say anything and should not unnecessarily put restrictions. This is not right," he added.

A Russian court on Wednesday dismissed the petition, which sought to ban Bhagvad Gita considering it to be of extremist nature.

The court in Siberian city of Tomsk dismissed the plea of state prosecutors against the lower court's dismissal of their original plea seeking a ban on 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is', written by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Reports on a ban on Bhagvad Gita in Russia had created a huge uproar in Parliament earlier, as several members condemned the move and asked the Central Government to take prompt measures in this regard.

The case filed by state prosecutors in the Siberian city of Tomsk stated that the translated version of the Bhagvad Gita was extremist and would create a divide among the people of different beliefs. (ANI)