By Zeeshan Ahmed, IndiaTomorrow.net,
Ahmedabad, 24 Jan 2015: A circular issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) school board making ‘Saraswati Pooja’ and ‘Saraswati Vandana’ compulsory on the occasion of `Vasant Panchami’ on Saturday in all the AMC-run schools, has generated a controversy.
There are about 400 AMC-run schools, including 65 Urdu medium schools, and the remaining Gujarati medium in Ahmedabad.
The circular was issued by LD Desai, administrative officer of AMC’s school board on January 19.
This is for the first time such a circular making religious prayer and worship compulsory in any school in the state was issued.
The circular states: “This is to inform all municipality schools that Vasant Panchami is a festival that worships `Ma Saraswati’, the goddess of education, art, knowledge and music. On this day, goddess saraswati is worshipped to spread the light of knowledge. So, all schools should ensure that saraswati pooja is performed and vandana recited”.
While all the students in Urdu medium schools are Muslims, there are also Muslim students in Gujarati medium schools.
Several parents of Muslim students have approached the school principals stating that their wards will not take part in saraswati pooja and recital of `saraswati vandana’.
They have stated that they believe in Islam which is based on monotheistic culture and what the circular wants is just the opposite and based on polytheistic culture and belief. So, the circular directly clashes with the basic tenets of Islam and hence, not acceptable.
Principals of several Urdu medium schools contacted by mediapersons refused to come on record about the controversy. But requesting anonymity, they said that parents of Muslim students had straightaway refused to send their wards for `vandana’ and `pooja’.
Congress councillor in AMC, Haji Asrar Mirza, criticised the circular and said that the order could not be imposed on students and teachers who do not believe in Hindu religion. He said that he had taken up the matter with municipal education board chairman Jagdish Bhavsar and asked him not to make it compulsory for Muslims and other non-Hindu students.
Congress MLA from Daryapur Gayasuddin Sheikh said the circular amounted to interference in religious matters of Muslim students.
When contacted, Bhavsar said: “The circular was issued to emphasise the importance of education. It is not at all compulsory for any student and teacher to participate in the saraswati poorja or saraswati vandana”.
