No sooner did the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that Hindu religious text Bhagwad Geeta would be taught in schools in the state, than there has been a strong protest to the decision.
Apart from minorities' leaders, mainstream politicians, educationists, social workers and even religious gurus have said that state should not interfere in education and let it remain secular.
There is a concern that the BJP is trying to appease the majority community just for electoral gains. Senior journalist LS Hedenia has said that it is an un-constitutional decision and after this announcement, Chouhan should quit his post.
Christian leaders have said that if, at all, Geeta is to be brought in the school curriculum, then similarly excerpts from the religious books of other communities should also be added to the syllabus, and not just one religion.
Social activist Deepa Pohankar said that children would get away from schools and thus it is not advisable to issue such an order. Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee leader Giani Dilip Singh has said that is not proper to ignore kids of other religions who study in the government schools.
[Photo screen shot courtesy: Dainik Bhaskar, November 20]
