National Desk, 28th August: Amidst the celebration of India’s Chandrayaan-3 success, a Hindu seer has sparked controversy by suggesting that the Moon should be declared a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ (Hindu nation). Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, the National President of All India Hindu Mahasabha, went on to demand that the Indian Parliament pass a resolution to this effect.
These statements follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s naming of the location where Chandrayaan-3 landed as ‘Shiv Shakti’. This move drew criticism from opposition parties and Islamic scholars.
In a video posted on social media, Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said, “Even before individuals with a Jihadi mentality reach the Moon, it should be declared a Hindu nation, and the ‘Shiv Shakti Point’ should become the capital of this Hindu nation.”
He further called for the Moon to be officially declared a Hindu Rashtra through a resolution in the Indian Parliament.
The controversy arose after India successfully executed its third Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, becoming the fourth nation to land on the lunar surface and the first to reach the south pole.
While PM Modi celebrated this achievement by declaring August 23 as ‘National Space Day’ and naming the landing site ‘Shiv Shakti Point’, these calls for a religious association with the Moon have ignited a debate about the separation of scientific achievements from religious connotations.