At a time when the entire country is basking in the glory of the success of its Chandrayaan-3 mission, a Hindu seer on Sunday stoked controversy saying that the Moon should be declared a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, All India Hindu Mahasabha National President, also demanded that Parliament pass a resolution in this regard.
His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the place where Chandrayaan-3 landed as ‘Shiv Shakti’, drawing criticism from several opposition parties and Islamic scholars.
“Even before the people of Jihadi mentality reach the Moon, the Moon should be declared a Hindu nation and Shiv Shakti Point should be made the capital of the Hindu nation,” Chakrapani said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
"I want India to declare the Moon a Hindu Rashtra with a resolution in Parliament," he said.
India on August 23 scripted history as ISRO's ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and the first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth's only natural satellite.
Modi made the announcement regarding 'Shiv Shakti Point' while congratulating and interacting with scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru on Saturday.
He also declared August 23, the day the spacecraft landed on the Moon's south pole as the 'National Space Day'.
