'Flawed Mindset': Parent Questions Mumbai School's Decision To Give Optional Eid-e-Milad Holiday Only To Muslim Students

A concerned parent's tweet has gone viral after a Mumbai school declared Wednesday an optional holiday exclusively for Muslim students and staff to celebrate Id-e-Milad.

The parent, Akshay Gholve, shared an email conversation with the school on X (formerly known as Twitter), questioning the school's mindset.

Gholve took to Twitter to express his concerns, tweeting: "It's confusing to see schools assume only Muslims celebrate Muslim festivals & only Hindus celebrate Hindu festivals. Despite formal requests calls & mail; no change done by school in communication.This mindset is flawed, isn't it?"

In his email, Gholve wrote, "Public holidays such as Id-e-Milad are meant to be observed uniformly by all students, regardless of their religious background. Making this holiday optional for Muslim students may unintentionally foster a sense of exclusion among the children."

He further said, "I kindly request a reconsideration to ensure inclusivity and unity among all students, which should take precedence over administrative convenience."

Despite the parent’s formal requests for change, the school’s response stressed that the decision was made to accommodate administrative challenges stemming from last-minute directives from the Maharashtra Government.

The school clarified, “Tomorrow’s holiday shall be treated as optional for all children, regardless of their religion."

Background on Id-e-Milad Holiday

The Maharashtra government had rescheduled the Eid-e-Milad holiday from September 16 to September 18, following a request from the local Muslim community to avoid clashes with Anant Chaturdashi, the final day of Ganesh Chaturthi . This decision allowed both festivals to be celebrated without logistical issues.