Bhubaneswar: After the School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond informed the ongoing Monsoon session that the government is considering a proposal to introduce Bhagavad Gita sessions in schools to strengthen and promote students’ intellectual development, the opposition parties strongly objected to the idea, arguing that such a move could undermine democratic principles.
State Congress spokesperson Prashant Satpathy criticised the move, saying, “The BJP is using religion for political gain.
Simply reading the Bhagavad Gita in schools will not enhance students’ intellect; proper guidance through their regular syllabus will.
Schools have students from diverse religious backgrounds, if this proposal is approved, will the government also allow sessions on the Quran, Bible, and other religious texts? School is not a place to play the religion card, and the ruling party must understand this.
” Similarly, CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahy alleged, “The state government appears to be pushing for saffronisation of the education system, replacing history with mythology.
At a time when our students need exposure to AI and advanced education to compete globally, the government is steering the system back to a medieval mindset.
This must stop, and if implemented, we will vehemently oppose it.
The All India Students’ Federation (AISF) state unit has strongly opposed the proposal, calling it highly objectionable and unacceptable. AISF state president Sanghamitra Jena said, “India is a secular country, and government schools serve children from diverse communities.
Our education system must remain universal, secular, scientific, and democratic. Promoting any particular religion or ideology through schools goes against the spirit of the Constitution. Scriptures like the Gita, Quran, or Bible belong to religious institutions, not state-run schools.
Turning schools into religious laboratories will endanger both democracy and social justice,” she warned. However, the BJD backed the proposal while emphasising that similar provisions should be made for other religions.
Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, “Making children read and listen to the Bhagavad Gita can be enriching, teaching important life lessons.
At the same time, students should also have the opportunity to learn from the sacred scriptures of Sikh, Christian, and Muslim communities, as we live in a multi-religious country with a secular outlook.
The state government should also consider making moral science classes compulsory.” When approached for comment on the matter, the BJP did not respond.
PNN
