In the midst of a spat between the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government and opposition parties over the selection of the Gandhi Peace Prize, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Monday that India's magnificent ancient Sanatan culture and scriptures can be read easily today only because of the "unmatched contribution" of Gita Press. Shah stated that Gita Press receiving the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 is an honour for the job that it does.
“If India’s glorious ancient Sanatan culture and scriptures can be read easily today, it is due to Gita Press’s unmatched contribution. Conferring Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 on Gita Press is an honour of the work being done by it,” Shah tweeted.
In honour of its "outstanding contribution towards social, economic, and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods," Gita Press of Gorakhpur will receive the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021, the Ministry of Culture confirmed on Sunday.
Gita Press is honoured with the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 for its significant and unmatched contribution to the advancement of mankind as a whole and for truly embodying Gandhian living.
Gita Press, one of the biggest publishers in the world, was founded in 1923 and has produced 41.7 billion books in 14 languages, including 16.21 billion copies of the Shrimad Bhagvad Gita.
However, the Congress criticised the government's judgement, which was made by a jury that was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh compared the decision to "awarding Savarkar and Godse" and called it a "travesty".
“The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 has been conferred on the Gita Press at Gorakhpur which is celebrating its centenary this year. There is a very fine biography from 2015 of this organisation by Akshaya Mukul in which he unearths the stormy relations it had with the Mahatma and the running battles it carried on with him on his political, religious & social agenda. The decision is really a travesty and is like awarding Savarkar and Godse,” Ramesh tweeted.
In respons to Congress' criticism, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath stated: "I congratulate Gita Press for getting Gandhi Peace Prize 2021...I saw the statement of Congress leader (Jairam Ramesh). I was very disappointed because the party (Congress) which calls itself an age old party has such low mindset."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam stated that criticising the Gita Press is like fulfiling BJP's agenda which aims to establish the grand old party as an "anti-Hindu" party. "BJP wants Congress to be declared a party against Hindus. Gita Press was established almost 100 years ago when BJP was not even founded. Saying anything against Gita Press is like hurting the sentiments of Hindus. I think leaders holding responsible positions should not make such comments," he said.
BJP leader Jitendra Singh claimed that the Gita Press is an accessible publisher of literature and is linked to the national culture.
“Gita Press is associated with the culture of India, associated with Hindu beliefs, producer of affordable literature and those who used to say that the Muslim League was secular are accusing it…,” Singh said.
Speaking on behalf of Gita Press, Manager Dr Lalmani Tiwari stated: "Gita Press has been conferred with Gandhi Peace Prize 2021. This is a very proud moment for us. We thank the govt of India and PM Modi for this award. We have denied to accept any kind of donations as it is our principle. However, we will certainly accept the award for it's honour."