U'khand mandates Gita recitation in govt. schools; Teachers’ group calls it unconstitutional
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has made the recitation of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita shlokas compulsory in morning assemblies across all government schools in the state.
According to an official order issued by Dr Mukul Kumar Sati, Director of Secondary Education, and cited by India Today, schools are instructed to recite one Gita shloka daily, along with an explanation of its meaning and scientific relevance for students.
Teachers have been asked to select a “Shloka of the Week,” display it with its meaning on the school notice board, and encourage students to learn and reflect on it. At the end of the week, discussions and student reflections will be part of classroom activities.
The Education Department stated that the teachings must not remain limited to textbooks but should influence students’ behaviour and attitudes.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the move, calling the Gita a “timeless source of knowledge.” He added, “This is Devbhoomi, and it is important for our children to understand and draw inspiration from it.”
However, the decision has drawn criticism from sections of the teaching community. Sanjay Kumar Tamta, president of the Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe Teachers’ Association, called the order “anti-Constitutional diktat.”
Speaking to reporters in Dehradun, Tamta said that the Gita is a religious text, and preaching religion in government schools goes against Article 28(1) of the Constitution, which prohibits religious instruction in state-funded institutions.
“We have written to the education department to withdraw this order. Otherwise, we will move the court to remind the government that it is a violation of the Constitution,” The Telegraph quoted Tamta as saying.
Tamta argued that government schools serve students from diverse religious backgrounds, and imposing the teachings of a specific religion is inappropriate. He stated that the association would oppose the order across the state.
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Meghalaya: Interstate ATM theft racket busted, 6 arrested
Shillong (PTI): An interstate racket involved in ATM thefts across several states has been busted, with the arrest of six persons in connection with a break-in at an electronic banking outlet in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused were allegedly involved in breaking into an ATM of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank on April 5, 2024, they said.
Three of the accused were arrested from Barpeta in Assam, while the remaining were apprehended from Haryana, police said.
Ri-Bhoi SP Giri Prasad M said a special police team was constituted to investigate the case.
"With coordinated efforts and assistance from Assam and Haryana Police, we were able to apprehend the accused involved in the ATM break-in," he told PTI.
The case was registered at Umiam police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police, the gang used gas cutters to break open the ATM safe and fled with the cash within minutes.
"The group is part of a larger network involved in similar ATM thefts across different states. Further investigation is underway to dismantle the entire network," the SP added.
