Different instructions to schools, madarsas

LUCKNOW: The UP Madarsa Education Board and the State Basic Shiksha Parishad have both issued letters directing seminaries and schools respectively to celebrate Independence Day with patriotic fervour, but there’s a glaring difference in their communications.

The madarsas have been told to videograph and photograph their I-Day celebrations, while the letter to the Basic Shiksha Adhikari does not mention any such recording of events in state government primary schools.

The letter issued by the UP Basic Shiksha Parishad secretary, Sanjay Sinha, on August 11 reads: Schools must celebrate the 70th I-Day with full patriotic fervour by unfurling the national flag at 8 am. Schools have also been asked to encourage students to participate in cleanliness drives, hold discussions on the freedom struggle, pay tribute to freedom fighters, sing patriotic songs and plant saplings.

However, in sharp contrast, madarsas have been instructed to record videos and take photographs during the celebrations so that “similar events can be organised in future”.

LOK GATHBANDHAN PARTY CONDEMNS GOVT

The Lok Gathbandhan Party on Saturday strongly condemned the UP government’s order to madarsas directing them to compulsorily celebrate Independence Day and videograph the event for government screening.

“The tone and tenor of the directive was highly objectionable. It was absolutely uncalled for, unjust and aimed at doubting the integrity of the Muslim minority institutions in the state,” read a statement by the party. The statement said how the government presumed that these institutions were not celebrating Independence Day and why it has asked them to submit videographs of the celebrations.