Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Hindutva group Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has raised objections over Travancore Devaswom Board’s decision to appoint Arabic teachers in schools which come under its management in Kerala.
Condemning the move, it has called for Sanskrit to be made mandatory in schools run by the board. VHP working president advocate Alok Kumar Wednesday claimed that Arabic is not an Indian language and is not in the schedule of Indian languages in the Constitution of India.
“This language is studied more for reading, understanding and memorizing the Holy Quran. The teaching of Arabic language is thus not for the religious and charitable purpose of the Hindus. The teaching of this language in the schools which are managed with the help of the funds offered by the Hindu Devotees, is thus an inappropriate expense,” Kumar was quoted by The Times of India as saying.
In the press statment, the VHP also claimed that The Travancore Devaswom Board is constituted under the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950. This Board has three members, two of whom are elected by Hindu members of the council of ministers of Kerala and the third member by the Hindu members of the Legislative Assembly of Kerala. Obviously, all the three members are thus, the nominees of the ruling party of the State.
Terming the move another attack by the left front government of Kerala upon the Hindus, the VHP president said their money, offered by them to deities shall go for the teaching of the Arabic language. Condemning the decision, he has called upon the board to withdraw it and the people of Kerala to resolutely fight against it. The VHP also suggested that the Sanskrit language is the depository of the Bharatiya Spiritual Heritage and its teaching should be made mandatory in the schools run by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
