Political storm erupted after govt order to state schools

◗ Several people, including Omar Abdullah, took to social media platforms to question the government’s wisdom in choosing scriptures of one particular religion

Following criticism, the governor’s administration in Jammu and Kashmir has withdrawn a communication issued on Monday asking the school education department to introduce Urdu version of Bhagvad Gita and Kashmiri version of Ramayan in educational institutions.

A statement issued by the government here on Tuesday said that the communication issued by the school education department to the directors of school education in Srinagar and Jammu “has been withdrawn ab- initio on the directions of chief secretary B. V. R. Subrahmanyam”.

On Monday, an official communication had said that the decision to introduce these two scripts in Urdu and Kashmiri in all educational institutions of the state and also keep them available in the public libraries was taken in a meeting chaired by advisor to governor B. B. Vyas on October 4.

In the backdrop of this meeting, the administrative department of education shot a letter to the directors of school education department in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions reading the school education department “will consider purchasing sufficient number of copies each of Urdu version of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Koshur Ramayan authored by Shri Sarwanand Premi for making these available in schools.”

According to the official communiqué issued on October 22 by under- secretary school education department to directors, school education Kashmir and Jammu, similar directions were issued to higher education department, director libraries as well as the culture department of the state. The officers were asked to initiate further process after following all codal formalities required as per rules.

Some officials, including director school education kashmir G. N. Itoo and his counterpart at the Valley’s colleges Zahoor Ahmad Chatt had expressed ignorance about the matter.

Amid the row triggered by the order, former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Why just the Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries ( and I’m not convinced that they need/ should be) then why is it being done selectively? Why are other religions being ignored?”

Several other people also took to social media platforms to question the wisdom of the government in choosing the scriptures of one particular religion to introduce them in educational institutions.