Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA, Rais Shaikh, has demanded the scrapping of government orders mandating the full rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ in schools between October 31 and November 7 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its composition.
Shaikh has alleged that instead of focusing on quality education, the government is bringing religious issues into the field of knowledge and pushing the RSS’s cultural agenda.
"I strongly oppose the education department’s compulsion on schools to sing ‘Vande Mataram’. The government must immediately scrap this decision. Being in power does not mean you have the authority to act illegally. The government should not disturb the atmosphere of the education sector by bringing in religious issues," said Shaikh in his letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, school education Minister Dada Bhuse, and minister of state for education Pankaja Bhoyar on Thursday.
Shaikh stated that ‘Jana Gana Mana’, written by Rabindranath Tagore, is India’s national anthem. "However, in the name of celebrating 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, the government’s decision to mandate its full rendition in all schools on October 31 and to organise exhibitions on the song between October 31 and November 7 is illegal. It is not good governance for a progressive state like Maharashtra that just because an organisation sends a letter to the minister of state for school education, Pankaja Bhoyar, the education department immediately imposes such a compulsion on all schools in the state," said Shaikh.
Shaikh further said that the condition of schools and the overall education system in the state is dire, and that providing quality education is the government’s duty. "However, by introducing religious issues like ‘Vande Mataram’ into the education sector, the government is creating divisions. Forcing the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ violates the constitutional rights granted to citizens," Shaikh added.
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