Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued an apology for the misinterpretation of a ‘shloka’ from the Bhagavad Gita, which stirred controversy and accusations of promoting caste divisions. The X post, shared by Mr. Sarma’s team, incorrectly translated a verse from Chapter 18, verse 44, suggesting that serving Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas is the natural duty of the Shudras.
In his apology, Mr. Sarma clarified that the incorrect translation was a mistake made by one of his team members. He emphasized that the routine of sharing one Gita ‘shloka’ daily on social media is part of a tradition, and he promptly deleted the post upon recognizing the error.
The post had sparked criticism, with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi condemning Mr. Sarma for not upholding the oath of treating every Indian citizen equally. Owaisi highlighted the impact of such statements on Assam’s Muslims and criticized Hindutva as incompatible with principles of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, and Justice.
In his apology, Mr. Sarma affirmed that Assam represents a casteless society, reiterating that the misinterpretation did not reflect the state’s reality. The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious and caste-related statements in political discourse.