International Gita Mahotsav celebrated in Canadian Parliament

International Gita Mahotsav was celebrated in Canada, during which Member of Parliament House of Commons of Canada Chandra Arya emphasized a bill to celebrate November as Hindu Heritage Month.

According to a statement issued by Bharat Sevashram Sangha Canada, the Mahotsav was celebrated from September 16-18 in Canada's Parliament. It was celebrated at the Living Art Center of Mississauga on day two and it ended on Yonge-Dundas Square in the downtown Toronto community on day three with a Shobha yatra parade, the statement further read.

Speaking at the event Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament Nepean, House of Commons of Canada emphasized on his private member's bill to celebrate November as Hindu Heritage Month.

Arya stated that the Canadian government should recognize the contributions that Hindu Canadians have made to the socio-economic development of Canada and their services to Canadian society.

"As per the Mental Health Commission of Canada 1 in 5 people in Canada lives with a mental illness each year. As per the British Census 2021 around 1 in 5 (21%) adults experienced some form of depression. In America, US CDC 2022 reports that 32.3 per cent overall population is affected by Anxiety or Depression disorders," Swami Advaitananda Giri, the chairman of the International Meditation Foundation said in the statement.

He further stated that a serious question arises If 32.3 per cent of the population is having serious mental health issues like anxiety or depression then. "If 97 per cent population is experiencing sadness then that requires immediate work to fix the problem. Bhagwat Gita in life is the solution for it and people of other faiths follow their own path and that is the solution for them."

A video message from Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev was also played during the program. In the message, the Chief Minister said, "with the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since 2016, we are celebrating Gita Mahotsav at the International level."

In the Mahotsav Apoorva Srivastava, Consulate General of India, Patric Brown, Mayor of Brampton, Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga, Nina Tangri MPP of Streetsville, Deepak Anand, MPP of Malton also stated their views.

(PTI)