'India a global powerhouse because of its gods', says Uttar Pradesh minister

Vintage colourised photograph of Gyanvapi Mosque, Varanasi in late 19th Century. Pic/Istock

While the jury is still out on Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque case and on Shahi Eidgah in Mathura, a senior UP minister on Monday said that India became a "global powerhouse" because of its gods, and they are its identity.

He said that if any government, community, or organisation wants to "beautify" the places associated with these gods, then no one should have any objections.

"Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, Mathura is birthplace of Lord Krishna, and Kashi (Varanasi) was created by Lord Shiv. It is because of these gods that India has its identity, and it is because of them that India has become a global powerhouse ('vishwaguru')," UP's sugarcane development minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary told PTI.

"Today, the world is reading the Gita -- the lesson taught to Arjun by Lord Krishna. The entire world is getting a message from Lord Ram about how an ideal son, an ideal husband, an ideal brother, and an ideal friend should be," he said.

The minister also said an opportunity has now come to "secure" the Indian culture, which had been dismantled for 800-850 years.

Chaudhary refused to comment on the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque case in Varanasi, and on Mathura's Shahi Eidgah case, saying both the matters are sub judice.

"One thing I can categorically say is that surveys can be done for the other places, but as far as Mathura is concerned, there is no scope of any survey," Chaudhary said.

From the rival camp, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary had given a differing view on Sunday saying debates such as those happening on the Gyanvapi mosque should not be entertained in modern democratic India.

"If you look at it, the law does not allow these sorts of debates anymore. We must not entertain these debates in modern democratic India," he had told PTI.

"Let us not look to create more disturbances for the future using our past as an excuse. We need to be forward-looking and address the real issues of real India."

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