Assam Chief Minister expresses regret over social media post, clarifies translation discrepancy.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued an apology following uproar over a post with casteist remarks on his social media platforms. Sarma attributed the controversy to an “incorrect translation” of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita by his team.
In a statement posted on X and Facebook on Thursday night, Sarma explained that he routinely shares verses from the Bhagavad Gita on his social media, totaling 668 Slokas till date. He acknowledged an error in the translation of Chapter 18 verse 44 and promptly removed the post upon noticing the mistake. He expressed regret, stating, “If the deleted post has offended anyone, I sincerely apologize.”
Highlighting Assam’s societal fabric, Sarma emphasized that the state represents a casteless society, crediting this to the reform movement led by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva.
The controversy stemmed from an audio-visual post shared by Sarma on December 26, purportedly depicting Sloka 44 from Sanyas Yoga of the 18th chapter of the Gita. The post, which associated specific duties with varnas (castes), received criticism, prompting opposition leaders to condemn what they termed the “BJP’s Manuvadi and regressive ideology.”
The animated video suggested that farming, cow-rearing, and commerce are natural duties of the Vaishya, while serving the Brahman, Kshatriya, and Vaishya varnas is the natural duty of the Shudras. Sarma, in his comment accompanying the post, referenced God Sri Krishna’s description of these natural duties.
Sources By Agencies
