Declare Moon as Hindu Rashtra: Swami Chakrapani tells government
All India Hindu Mahasabha National President Swami Chakrapani Maharaj stirred up controversy on Sunday by releasing a video message on X, formerly Twitter, saying the Moon should be declared a "Hindu Rashtra." Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for naming the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 as "Shiv Shakti Point," he suggested developing the site as the capital of the proposed lunar Hindu nation.
Why does this story matter?
The seer's statement, which came after Chandrayaan-3's historic landing on the Moon's south pole, has added fuel to the raging debate over India's existing secular characteristics. Far-right Hindu outfits have been calling for India to be declared a Hindu ethnostate in contrast to its present form of a constitutional secular democracy. Naming Chandrayaan-3's landing site Shiv Shakti Point was also criticized by several quarters, who argued the mission was a result of the combined effort of people of all faiths.
Hindus have very old relationship with Moon: Chakrapani
Chakrapani said the Parliament should pass a resolution and the United Nations (UN) should declare the Moon a Hindu Rashtra before it is turned into "Ghazwa-e-Hind." "The Moon should be declared a Hindu Sanatan Rashtra before someone else reaches there to carry out jihad, spread Islamic ideas, and terrorism," he said. "The Moon sits on Lord Shiva's head and Hindus have a very old relationship with Chanda Mama as various types of moons are mentioned in the shastras," he added.
Controversial figure's history of provocative actions
This is not the first time the Hindu Mahasabha leader has sparked debate. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he and his group organized a "gaumutra party," claiming cow urine could cure the deadly disease that killed millions of people worldwide. During the devastating Kerala floods in 2018, he urged people not to help the residents of the state who eat beef. If flood-affected people want assistance, they should sign an affidavit saying they won't eat beef anymore, he said.
