Bhagawan invites Pejawar seer for open debate; reiterates ‘Gita should be burnt’

Mangaluru, Jul 1: Critic and rationalist Prof. K S Bhagawan has said that he preferred an open debate with Pejawar mutt pontiff Vishwesha Teertha Swami and other Hindu thinkers on the pros and cons of Bhagavad Gita over an internal debate.

Responding to the pontiff’s call for internal or closed-door debate instead of an open debate, Prof. Bhagawan said that he was ready for any kind of debate but the common people also should witness such a debate.

Speaking to Coastaldigest.com, the Mysuru-based thinker and retired English professor said, since a majority of the common people is unaware of the core principles of Gita and is swept away by a propaganda, a debate in the presence of the audience would help them realize the truth and decide on the significance of this ‘holy scripture’ in the presence scenario. “Swamiji should be ready for an open debate on Bhagawad Gita,” he challenged.

Stating that only elite class of Brahmins is much bothered about Hinduism, he said that people belonging to lower class have little concern about holy scriptures like Gita and Ramayana.

Prof Bhagawan went on to claim that Pejawar seer can neither be a representative of Hinduism nor a spokesperson of entire Brahmin community, as the latter advocates Madhva’s philosophy of duality.

“There are a large number of Brahmins, who advocate Ramanuja’s Sri Vaishnavism and Shankaracharya’s concept of advaita. Without having the representatives from these streams, a debate over Gita could not be comprehensive,” he opined.

Justifying his earlier controversial remark that Bhagawad Gita should be burnt, Prof. Bhagawan asserted that Gita misguided the people and the nation. “Since this Gita apparently promotes the caste system and degrades women, it can never be a nectar for the humanity,” he said questioning how can such a scripture be dubbed as a spiritual solution for a great nation? “Such a book should be burnt in the public,” he reiterated.

Taking on Sangh Pariwar leaders and activists for “promoting lies and issuing death threats for speaking the truth”, he said, “I feel pity for those ignorant groups. Their threats cannot prevent me for speaking the truth.” Common man often falls prey to priestly elite thanks to ignorance, he added.

It is worth mentioning here that a scheduled debate on Bhagawad Gita in Mysuru between Prof. Bhagawan and Pejawar seer was cancelled due to the last minute denial of permission by police. Along with Pejawar seer, a group of Sangh Pariwar leaders including Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, Chakravarthi Sulibele and Haridas Bhat were supposed to participate in the debate.