School children cannot be forced to recite Hindu prayers in government schools, the Chhattisgarh High Court said on Thursday. This was in response to a court petition challenging the constitutional validity of a June 12 circular issued by the state school education department asking all state-run schools to make recitation of Hindu prayers, including the ‘Gayatri mantra’, mandatory.
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The Chhattisgarh government’s decision sparked sharp criticism from the opposition Congress Party, which accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of imposing a religious agenda on school students.
Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad passed judgment on the government order and the court asked the petitioners to approach it again if they find that any child is being forced to recite religious hymns.
The petition challenging the order was filed by former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi, former Minorities Department chief Mahendra Chabda, and Bilaspur-based social activist Shafiq Ahmed.
The petitioners said the circular violated the constitutional principles of secularism and fundamental rights.
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“The compulsory inclusion of Saraswati Vandana, Gayatri Mantra, Guru Mantra and Shanti Mantra amounts to religious education and promotion of a particular religion within government schools. Hence, the impugned order is unconstitutional,” the petition stated.
A government order sparked controversy
On June 12, the Chhattisgarh School Education Department issued an order requiring schools to conduct a series of daily cultural, educational and value-based activities at different times during the school day. While a government official told HT that the circular was part of a broader initiative to promote patriotism, discipline, moral values, intellectual development and awareness of Indian culture and traditions among students, it drew sharp criticism.
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The order stipulated that the morning assembly in schools would include the national anthem, patriotic song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra and readings from biographies of eminent personalities, HT reported earlier.
The students were supposed to recite the ‘Bhojan Mantra’ before the midday meal, while the concluding session at the end of the school day would include the state song, Gayatri Mantra and Shanti Mantra.
Officials have been instructed to ensure strict implementation of the order. However, the opposition Congress Party strongly criticized the decision, and questioned the necessity of making religious songs compulsory in public schools.
“The government seems intent on converting the schools into Saraswati Shishu Mandirs. Imposing the RSS agenda on government schools is wrong,” said Sushil Anand Shukla, chief of the Congress Communications Department in Chhattisgarh.
