Delhi Assembly looks to the future — by hosting astrologers

Speaking to The Indian Express, Goel said his address to the gathering on Saturday was about two things. “One was about denouncing people who have turned astrology into a business to fool people. The second was to talk about garbhadharan (conception) sanskar (culture)… This has an element of astrology and is very important for us today. If I have to buy a shirt, I will go to the market and choose, if I buy flowers for my house, I will go and choose them, but what about the best creation of God (children)… There is no planning, no thinking. There are texts about this in our culture, which are linked with astrology, how it should happen, how it shouldn’t… Every household should follow this in today’s time,” Goel said.

In March this year, a workshop was held at Jawaharlal Nehru University on practising ‘garbh sanskar’ where Madhuri Marathe, national organising secretary of RSS-affiliated Samvardhinee Nyas, spoke about teaching pregnant women practices to ensure that the foetus learns about Indian culture.

Saturday’s event was the first of its kind at the Delhi Assembly, Goel confirmed.

A statement issued by the Delhi Assembly Secretariat said the Speaker stated how a person “can know about his future through astrology”. “Along with this, in astrology, remedies are also told about many types of defects going in the horoscope, so that a person can live a better life,” the statement said.

The statement said the event was organised by Manoj Nayyar and astrologers Dinesh Guruji, Hina Ojha, Amit Mitra among others were present.

Asked if holding the event in the Assembly would be seen as the promotion of superstition, Goel said, “It is human nature to seek knowledge about the future. Some people take advantage of this, people who don’t know the science to fool people. People who have the knowledge should be promoted. This is why the programme was organised. Around 90 people were in attendance… Astrology is a science, it can tell you when the solar eclipse will be even a thousand years in the future. This is a science and should be promoted scientifically.”