Does God have a religion?

Your edit "Needless controversy" (THI, 23/09/2020) rightly represented the origin of the customary declaration by a Non-Hindu devotee that intends to offer his prayers to Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala. This Bruce's code imposition and its relinquishment was a bad past (1842-43). The custom to offer silk robes on the eve of Brahmotsavams has been introduced by the then chief minister N T Rama Rao in 1983 and the successive chief ministers have continued to honour the same by paying a visit to the holy shrine on that holy ritual.

The present chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also did the same thing and offered the divine silk robes despite the cacophony of a small portion of people. The print and electronic media has given undue importance to this customary event and tried in a sedulous manner to hijack the emotions of one section of people.

These type of controversies have also raised in past and may arise in the future therefore it is an indispensable responsibility on Hindu seers and sages to gratify that "Hinduism is not a religion it is a way of life "by binning this type of parochial rules.

Before going to peep into this pointless gridlock, we need to know the meaning of belief, custom, and sentiment. The dictionary meanings for 'Belief' (n) -is an acceptance that something exists or is true .especially one without proof; The word 'Custom' means -a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time and the 'sentiment'-means "a view or opinion that is held or expressed". All these words could give diverse meanings according to the perception.

Further, they are more nonfigurative like 'God' and it is impossible to achieve consensus. Interestingly, all the spiritually related things are also more abstract than concrete that will prompt many queries without convincing answers.

It is a well-known thing that in our country, which is multiracial spirituality, has many spheres and diversified pathways for rendering prayers. Some other tribe is also there called, as atheists, they do not believe the existence of the god, and the creation is nothing due to evolution. For them, science is the super creator. Therefore, it is the prerogative of an individual to follow his conscience and the others have no right to interfere.

The political outfits that are making these types of futile efforts should have to know the apt remark of Lord Buddha" We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we belong to one human race". It seems that the opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh have no right cause to fight with the present YSRCP government. The acts of wrongdoers have become an agenda for the opposition.

They have forgotten the sacred duty of an organization while the state is passing through an impasse of the pandemic. Thanks to them,instead of creating awareness about the Covid-19 and its propagation to the public they have staged protests with a crowd of people that is quite against the Covid-19 rules.

It has become a food source for many such as the people that are enjoying power, for opposition leaders, and for renounced sages also. The political leaders and spiritual leaders made this situation murkier with their loose tongues and with irrational acts.

Your edit has given the right advice to end this deadlock by repealing the same, which has become a hurdle for non–Hindus for the holy darshan of lord of seven hills and contradicting the dictum of Rumi "The lovers of God have no religion but God alone".

Yes, the time has ripened for cancelling Bruce's code on the advice of agama Shastra pundits and other head seers of the state. It is proved that once again the common person has no curiosity about this kind of hullabaloos because the pandemic made their life more nebulous and messy.

Not only the common person but also the whole country is wriggling out to become stronger physically, economically, and emotionally. Therefore, the political outfits should have to think with ample discretion that when the country beleaguered by various problems; they are not supposed to indulge in such acts that could bring the sand to the beach.

E Gajendra Nath Reddy, Gajwel