Why objectionable?
                                                    Courtesy - WBHS

The All Bodo Historical Society, Kokrajhar Bodoland (Assam), India, would like to inform the people in Assam in general that the verses 13 and 14 of Dwitiya Kirthan of the Kirthan-Gosha Aru Nam-Gosha composed by Mahapurusha Shri Shri Shankardeva and Shri Shri Madhav Dev in 16^th century which reads as follows:-

               

The sum and substance of the above verses is that the followers of Buddhism and the Mlecchas should be killed as they do not abide by the tenets of the Vedas.

             The dictate issued in the said verses of the Kirthan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha is unconstitutional, illegal and opposed to the principles of human rights, and secularism for reasons amongst others, as shown below.

2.1. Opposed to Article 25(1) of the Constitution

Article 25 (1) of the Constitution reads, ‘Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practices and propagate religion.’ While issuing the dictate to kill and annihilate all the Mlecchas and the Buddhists, the said Keertan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha has openly challenged the provisions of Article 25(1) of the Constitution thereby creating obstacles for the citizens of India freely to profess, practice and propagate religion of their own choice.

2.2. Opposed to Article 51-A of the Constitution

Article 51-A of the Constitution reads, inter alia, ‘It shall be the duty of every citizen of India –

(e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

(h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry reform.’

The dictate of the said books has ignored and undermined the direction of the Constitution issued under Article 51-A of the Constitution and has illegally proclaimed principles against the harmony, common brotherhood, heritage of our culture and humanism. Such a dictate cannot be a part of any book not to speak of a book on religion and the dictate is dangerous to the causes of humanism and national integrity.

3. The dictate of the said Keertan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha would also attract the related provisions of the Indian Penal Code in so far as it instigates and/or provokes to kill (murder) and annihilate the Mlecchas and the Buddhits. Therefore, the persons who have edited and/or published such books including the said Keertan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha together with the persons who have aided and participated in spreading the illegal and unconstitutional dictate are liable for prosecution under the law.

4. It may be pointed out that besides being illegal and unconstitutional, the dictate of the said books are directed to intimidate people belonging to other religions to adopt and/or convert into the religion propounded in the Keertan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha which is not permitted under any law. In States, like Orissa and Arunachal Pradesh, they have already the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967 and The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978 respectively thereby stipulating that any person who converts or attempts to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith by the use of force or by inducement or by any fraudulent means or abetment shall without prejudice to any civil liability, be punishable with imprisonment to the extent of two years and fine up to ten thousand rupees.

The above verses were discussed in the Central Working Committee Meeting of the World Bodo Historical Society during its fourth Annual Session held at Kokrajhar Girls’ College Campus, Bodoland (Assam) on 17^th june 2012 and the Committee found the verses to be provocative and detrimental to the people who do not follow the tenets of the said religious book, particularly the Mech or Bodo people whom others describe as Mlecchas. After having a threadbare discussion on the matter the Meeting resolved to ask the Government of Assam and the concerned authorities to remove the said verses from the concerned book with immediate effect.