Hindus urge Idaho senators to include Vedas in School Instruction Bill

Hindus are urging Idaho senators to add Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita to Senate Bill 1342; thus permitting their use in Idaho public schools for reference purposes, wherever relevant and useful.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that ancient texts of Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita contained a plethora of knowledge and wisdom. Why would the Idaho senators want to deprive the 291,000+ students (including some Hindu students) of state’s public schools from such a treasury and storehouse of enlightenment? Zed asked.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that Hindus wanted the inclusion of these texts purely for reference purposes only and clearly not for religious/doctrinal aims. Hindu were not interested in religious indoctrination at all, he added.

Rajan Zed further said that Vedas meant “knowledge” in Sanskrit and Rig-Veda was the oldest existing scripture of mankind. Vivid Upanishads provided a privileged glimpse of the wellspring of loftiest philosophies. Bhagavad-Gita, a philosophical and intensely spiritual poem, offered a universal message.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents. There are about three million Hindus in USA.