A five-day Ram Katha began at Raj Bhawan here on Saturday amid strong objection from civil rights groups, which said the event would grossly undermine secular values of the Constitution. Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra has invited Sant Vijay Kaushal from Vrindavan to deliver sermons on Lord Ram on the Raj Bhawan premises from August 27 to 31.
In addition to the religious discourse, a Bhakti arts exhibition is also being organised at Raj Bhawan for five days by the West Zone Cultural Centre, a government body functioning from Udaipur. The exhibition has devotional paintings and products on display.
Mr. Mishra offered prayers to Lord Ram and the holy book, Ramcharitmanas, before the sermon started and greeted the saint on behalf of all members and staff of Raj Bhawan. The Governor said the story of Lord Ram’s life would enrich the listeners and inculcate righteousness among them. “We are fortunate to have Sant Vijay Kaushal Ji [among us] to give us the nectar of Ram Katha at Raj Bhawan,” he said.
BJP MP from Jaipur Ramcharan Bohra and senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member Ghanshyam Tiwari were among the audience on the opening day of Ram Katha. Sant Vijay Kaushal said organising Ram Katha in Raj Bhawan, which is a historic building reverberating with governance and politics, is an “act of dharma” that would bring divine solace to the listeners and empower them spiritually.
The Raj Bhawan, which had earlier issued invitation cards for the event, announced on Saturday that any person could enter the premises from one of its gates after security check and attend Ram Katha. The sermons will be delivered for three hours in the evening for five days and will also be livestreamed on social media platforms.
Unacceptable, says PUCL
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) expressed outrage over a religious event of a particular faith being organised at Raj Bhawan and said it had not only violated the principles of secularism, but is also against the dignity of the constitutional office of the Governor. While clarifying that it was not against Ram Katha or the saint delivering it, the PUCL said holding the discourse on the Raj Bhawan premises was highly objectionable.
PUCL-Rajasthan president Kavita Srivastava said the Bhakti arts exhibition was also equally unacceptable, as it was completely different from cultural programmes organised in Raj Bhawan on festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Eid, Christmas or Guru Nanak Jayanti. “This event brazenly compromises the secular character of our Constitution. These are not personal programmes of the Governor,” Ms. Srivastava said.
The PUCL affirmed that the Governor, as the highest constitutional authority of the State, should maintain neutrality and equality towards all religions. “Will the Governor likewise organise religious events and arts exhibitions of faiths like Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sarna-Adivasi, etc.?” Ms. Srivastava asked, while asserting that attempts to establish the customs of one religion would weaken secular fabric of the Constitution.
The rights group demanded that Mr. Mishra shift Ram Katha away from Raj Bhawan to a public place and ensure that neither his office nor the State government had any role in its sponsorship. This would restore the dignity of the Governor’s office and protect the constitutional values, said PUCL general secretary Anant Bhatnagar.
A Raj Bhawan spokesperson told The Hindu that the Ram katha would be organised as a “simple ceremony” for five days, which would be open to the public, and Sant Vijay Kaushal agreed to deliver the discourse at a special request made by the Governor.
