Why Congress should oppose Saraswati Vandana in school?

Ahmedabad, DeshGujarat
By Rupang Bhatt

Probably because it is an election year for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation(AMC), Congress party’s Juhapura Councillor Hajimiya(Haji Mirza Baig) has tried to create a controversy out of absolutely nothing.

The Ahmedabad School Board has issued a circular asking all schools to hold ‘Saraswati Vandana’ on Vasant Panchami tomorrow.

None of the Urdu medium schools have approached School Board against this programme, as they understand that such circulars keep coming and they are not binding. Even if directives are followed, there’s no harm, if not followed, there’s no penalty! It is just a matter of common sense.

But Congress Councillor Hajimiya has problem with this circular. He believes ruling BJP is promoting Hindutva agenda by issuing such circulars. Hajimiya has so far approached media, but he also warns legal action and protest by Congress.

“Vasant Panchami is the occasion to remember Goddess of knowledge Maa Saraswati Devi. To make students understand the importance of education, schools need to organize Saraswati Puja and make students recite prayers of Saraswati during prayer gathering. Also, make them understand how Vasant Panchami is celebrated in other states,” reads the January 19 circular issued by the board.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) School Board runs around 450 primary schools in the city, including 64 Urdu medium schools, mostly in Muslim dominated areas attended by around 16,000 students from the minority community.

“Our sole aim is to promote the quest for knowledge among children and not to hurt the followers of any religion,” Jagdish Bhavsar, chairman of the board, said.

“Everybody prays and worships in his own way. If they are not comfortable with offering prayers to Saraswati, they can do ‘Ibadat’ (worship) in their own way. The only aim of this circular is to make children aware of the importance of education,” he said.

AMC School Board’s administrator L D Desai said, “Saraswati is the goddess of education and schools are temples of education for students of all religions. Thus, we just want students to understand the importance of education by remembering the goddess through prayer on that day.”

Describing it as an “educational and not religious” programme, Desai said,”There is absolutely no controversy.

But Juhapura Councillor Hajimiya (Haji Mirza Baig) has a problem.

Here are his statements published by PTI and our remark below that:

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to follow their religion and related rituals,” said Haji Mirza Baig.

– Hajibhai, you are perfectly right. Everyone has the right to follow their religion and related rituals. While this circular doesn’t snatch away rights of Muslims as its directives are not mandatory to follow, you are certainly snatching away rights of Hindu students by opposing such circular, and rights of Muslim students who don’t mind participating in Saraswati vandana.

“This circular is an attack on the freedom of not only Muslims, but also of other religions,” said Baig.

-Hajibhai who are you to represent Muslims and other religions?

“Why (do) they want Muslim students to perform puja? It should not be made compulsory in Urdu schools,” said Baig.

-But who has made it compulsory? And who are you to stop or oppose either Hindu or Muslim students if they wish to perform puja?

“Congress Councillors will stage protest against such dictatorial approach of AMC. Urdu schools, where majority students are Muslims, must be kept away from this order.Otherwise, we will take legal action and knock the doors of the court,” Baig warned.

-And thus Hajjibhai you will inject poison of Hindu-Muslim among children and especially among Muslim children.

How pathetic that Sarswati puja which is very much a part of Indian culture is viewed as just Hindu ritual! Why Congress party should prevent school children if they wish to join it? Let leave it to schools, teachers and children, precisely because it is not compulsory!

© With inputs from PTI