Shafi Madani, national secretary of Jamaat-e Islami Hind, called it a worrisome issue. “The current government is attempting to forcefully impose saffron culture, and a comprehensive review and action plan will be prepared soon in response to this initiative,” he said.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
AHMEDABAD — The Gujarat government’s recent decision to introduce a supplementary textbook on Bhagavad Gita in the state’s school curriculum has come in for sharp criticism.
Bhagavad Gita textbook is slated to be included in the syllabus for classes VI to VIII starting from the next academic year.
The move has sparked criticism from various quarters, with concerns raised about the potential imposition of religious or community-specific content in a democratic country like India.
Shafi Madani, national secretary of premier Muslim organisation, Jamaat-e Islami Hind, called it a worrisome issue. “The current government is attempting to forcefully impose saffron culture, and a comprehensive review and action plan will be prepared soon in response to this initiative,” he told Clarion India over the phone .
Explaining the objective behind the initiative, Minister of State for Education Praful Panshiriya said it was basically meant to establish a connection between students and India’s rich and diverse ancient culture and knowledge system. He emphasised that the decision to introduce the Bhagavad Gita textbook aligns with the new National Education Policy (NEP) formulated by the Central Government three years ago.
Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel via the microblogging site, Panshiriya stated that incorporating the teachings of Bhagavad Gita in the curriculum will help students connect with the country’s culturally diverse ancient heritage.
Speaking to reporters, he announced that the initial part of the textbook will soon be distributed to schools across the state, while the subsequent two sections intended for students from classes 9th to 12th will be made available shortly.
