'Shudras serve' comment: Assam CM claims "incorrect" translation

Agartala: on an X post by the Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, which suggested that serving Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas is the "natural duty" of Shudras, he came up with an explanation on Thursday.

He claimed that his team members posted an incorrect translation of a Bhagavad Gita verse on the online platform.

He had deleted the post and wrote on X that Assam has a "casteless society" after the social reform efforts of Shrimant Sankardeva, who is considered a major spiritual leader in the state, The Indian Express reported.

On, he wrote, "As a routine I upload one sloka of Bhagavad Gita every morning on my social media handles. Till date, I have posted 668 slokas. Recently one of my team members posted a sloka from Chapter 18 verse 44 with an incorrect translation. As soon as I noticed the mistake, I promptly deleted the post. The state of Assam reflects a perfect picture of a casteless society, thanks to the reform movement led by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva…"

The December 26 post by the CM on X had created a stir in the political sphere. He had posted on X a verse from Geetha which translated as "Bhagwan Shri Krishna himself describes the natural duties of Vaishya and Shudras", TIE reports. In a video, he cited the 44th verse of Geetha from its 18th chapter and said that agriculture, cow rearing and business are the natural duties of Vaishyas, but Shudras' natural duty is serving Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.

CPI(M) came out condemning the post and wrote on X, "We strongly denounce Assam CM Himanta Biswas tweet claiming that "Shudras are to serve Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas". The party called it "BJPs Manuvadi ideology in full play".