BHOPAL, S Gupta, TNN, Mar 7, 2010: After the row over Surya Namaskar and yoga, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh appears to be heading for another showdown with minorities: this time, over the Bhagwad Gita that the CM wants as part of the curriculum in government-run schools.

The fresh controversy surfaced after Chouhan, during a visit to Mirzapur on Friday, said the state government was contemplating introducing the `Bhagwad Gita' in school curriculum. He had gone to seek the blessings of Swami Argaranand at his ashram on his 52nd birthday. The CM had said that for moral education, study of the Gita is necessary.

“Bhagwad Gita mein gyan ka bhandar hai (Bhagwad Gita is a treasure of knowledge). Children should be imparted the knowledge of the Gita and there should not be any politics over it," Chouhan said.

He, however, specified that the decision regarding inclusion of Gita in the curriculum "will not be taken in a hurry". A committee would look into it and discuss it.