The practice of reciting the Gayatri Mantra, Gurubani which is part of Sikhism, and Islamic verse (Kalma), and other religious verses in the morning assembly has been going on for a decade now but suddenly it caught the eye and mind of Hindutva outfits and they created controversy over Kalma only.
Team Clarion
KANPUR — The Florets School in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has been reciting the Gayatri Mantra, Gurubani which is part of Sikhism, and Islamic verse (Kalma), and other religious verses in the morning assembly to give ‘equal respect to all religions.’ The practice has been going on for a decade now, but suddenly Hindu outfits raised objections to the practice and alleged that students were allegedly made to recite the ‘Kalma.’
Some Hindu outfits and parents staged a demonstration against this practice of the school and lodged a complaint with the police which then intervened in the matter and asked the school to stop the practice, reports IANS.
They alleged that the school is forcing religion on students.
Though the Principal of the school Sumit Makhija clarified that “There is surely no intention of promoting any one religion.”
“It has been a practice at this school for years. The school diary has verses of all major religions including Hindu, Sikhism, Christianity, Islam written in the diary. Reciting verses was started as a practice to give equal respect to all religions. Now all of a sudden, a group of Hindu radicals and some parents have opposed it,” she told reporters on Monday.
School principal, however, said that after this controversy, the management has now decided to stick only to the national anthem during the morning assembly and school authorities have said they will sort it out with the concerned parents.
Established in 2003, the school has been reciting the Gayatri Mantra, Gurubani which is part of Sikhism, and Islamic verse, and other religious verses in the morning assembly.
(With agency inputs)
