Search the Internet          Tips

Circular on RSS magazine kicks up storm in Gujarat

A circular by the Commissionerate of Schools in Gujarat, asking schools to subscribe to a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh magazine, has sparked a controversy in the state with Christian organisations objecting to it and the government refusing to withdraw the order.

In the circular dated December 12, 2000, the district education officers in 25 districts have been asked to get the managements of secondary and higher secondary schools to subscribe to the weekly Sadhana from the grants they receive from the state government.

The circular asks the DEOs to inform the school managements to get in touch with the Sadhana Prakashan Trust to arrange for subscription to the weekly, described by the order as 'containing material of great literary value'.

Though Gujarat's Christian organisations have decided to lodge a formal protest with the state government, Education Minister Anandi Patel dismissed reports of withdrawal of the controversial circular.

Talking to the Press Trust of India on Thursday, she said, "Why should we withdraw the circular? What's so objectionable about it? It is not binding on schools in Gujarat to subscribe to it. If any school does not like the idea, it can simply ignore the circular instead of kicking up a row. After all, it is not for the first time that we are issuing such a circular. In the past, we had enlightened school managements about the existence of magazines published by the Asaram Bapu Trust. Please let us know what is so communal in asking schools to subscribe to a magazine and, mind it, when it is not compulsory at all."

She added, "When I was principal of a higher secondary school in Ahmedabad, many Christian organisations used to come and distribute Biblical literature. Neither we nor anybody else objected then, nor do we now. So I fail to understand why certain people view every action of ours with a jaundiced eye."

But United Christian Association general secretary Samson Christian termed the controversial circular as "one more attempt by the fundamentalist forces to browbeat the minority Christian community in Gujarat".

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the circular, Samson pointed out that earlier the Gujarat government had wanted to conduct a survey on Christians through the police, but had to annul that circular in the face of stiff opposition from different quarters.

He said that if the state government refused to cancel the circular, Christians and other minorities would have no option but to create public opinion against it and knock on the doors of the Gujarat high court once again.

PTI

Tell us what you think of this report