The Chhattisgarh government has made daily recitation of prayers, including the Gayatri Mantra, a hymn from the Hindu religious scripture Rigveda, compulsory in all state-run schools starting this academic year, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition Congress party, which accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of imposing a religious agenda on school students.
The government order was issued to all districts by the School Education Department on June 12 and requires schools to conduct a series of daily cultural, educational and value-based activities at different times during the school day.
A government official said 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 was stipulated that the morning assembly in schools would include the national anthem, patriotic song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, and readings from the biographies of eminent personalities.
Students will recite the Pujan Mantra before the midday meal, while the concluding session at the end of the school day will include the state song, Gayatri Mantra and Shanti Mantra.
The government has directed DEOs to ensure strict implementation of the order. Inspections of schools will be conducted, and administrative action may be taken against departments or school principals found to be violating the guidelines.
The opposition Congress Party strongly criticized the decision, and questioned the necessity of making religious songs compulsory in public schools.
Sushil Anand Shukla, chief of Congress Communications Department in Chhattisgarh, said that while recitation of the national anthem, patriotic song and state song was appropriate, making Hindu religious expressions mandatory was not justified.
“The government seems bent on converting schools into Saraswati Shishu Mandirs. Imposing RSS agenda in government schools is wrong,” Shukla said, adding that mandatory recitation of certain religious phrases could hurt the sentiments of students of other faiths.
Shukla said that the Constitution of India guarantees equal respect for all religions and that education in government schools should not be based on any particular religion. He also warned that making Hindu prayers compulsory could lead to demands for the inclusion of verses from the Holy Quran and the Bible.
Congress leader and former deputy chief minister TS Singh Deo also opposed the move, terming it against the spirit of the Constitution.
Speaking in Ambikapur, Singh Deo said religious freedom is a fundamental right and participation in prayers or mantras associated with any religion should remain voluntary.
“Those who wish to worship their deities or recite religious mantras should be free to do so. But such practices cannot be imposed on followers of other religions. Forcing anyone to participate in the religious traditions or prayers of another religion is absolutely wrong,” he said, urging the state government to withdraw the order or allow the option of not participating.
