Rajasthan designates January 22, date of Ram temple consecration, as annual ‘festival’ in schools
The move drew criticism from civil society groups, who described it as a political decision that violates the secular values of the Constitution.
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The Rajasthan government has designated January 22, the date on which the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya was consecrated this year, as an annual “festival” to be observed in schools, reported The Times of India.
“The Ram temple consecration day has been included in the calendar as it is a historic day,” the newspaper quoted Rajasthan’s school education minister Madan Dilawar as saying. “We are consulting experts on how this day can be observed in schools. There will be no holiday on January 22, and it will be celebrated by students of all classes, from classes 1 to 12.”
The calendar issued by the state’s school education department for parents lists various topics to be discussed with students and mentions the festivals that will be celebrated in schools during the academic year.
The Ram temple in Ayodhya is built on the site of the Babri mosque, which was demolished by Hindutva extremists in December 1992 because they believed that it stood on the spot where the Hindu deity Ram was born. The incident had triggered communal riots across the country.
The temple was inaugurated in a ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, while parts of it were still under construction.
The Rajasthan government has not detailed how the “festival”...
