• Source:JND

A fresh political row has erupted in Chhattisgarh after the state government directed all government schools to include the recitation of the Gayatri Mantra and other prayers as part of the daily school routine from the current academic session.

The School Education Department issued a circular on June 12, instructing schools across the state to conduct a series of cultural, educational and value-based activities throughout the day. The government has also directed District Education Officers (DEOs) to ensure strict implementation of the order, warning that action could be taken against school authorities found violating the guidelines.

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What Will Change In Schools?

Under the new instructions, morning assemblies in government schools will include:

-National Anthem

-National Song

-Deep Mantra

-Saraswati Vandana

-Guru Mantra

-Readings from the lives of eminent personalities

Students will also be required to recite a Bhojan Mantra before the mid-day meal.

At the end of the school day, schools will conduct a closing session featuring:

-State Song

-Gayatri Mantra

-Shanti Mantra

The authorities are of the view that this will encourage patriotism, discipline, morals, awareness about culture, and development in children.

Congress Objects To Mandatory Religious Prayers

The opposition Congress slammed the government's decision, calling religious chanting a compulsion for government-run schools, not good at all.

Chhattisgarh Congress Communication Department Chairman Sushil Anand Shukla has questioned the government's move in making Hindu religious mantras a compulsion and said that they are not against chanting the national anthem, the national song and the state song.

“The government appears determined to turn schools into Saraswati Shishu Mandirs. Imposing the RSS agenda in government schools is wrong,” HT quoted Shukla.

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He added that obliging students of other religious communities to recite certain mantras would cause pain to their feelings.

It is imperative for government schools to work on constitutional principles, and no religion should be promoted in them. He cautioned that if this is implemented, it could lead to demands to include prayers of other religions like the Quran Sharif, the Gurbani and the Bible.

TS Singh Deo Advocates Opt-out option

Senior Congress leader and former deputy CM TS Singh Deo opposed this order, stating it violates the principles of the Constitution. While speaking in Ambikapur, Singh Deo said that the right to participate in religious prayers should be optional.

“Those who wish to worship their deities or recite religious mantras should be free to do so. But such practices cannot be imposed on followers of other religions. Forcing anyone to participate in the religious traditions or prayers of another faith is completely wrong,” he said.

He urged the state government to either withdraw the order or provide students with an option to opt out of the recitation of religious prayers.


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