Govt withdraws ‘Bhagavad Gita, Koshur Ramayan in edu institutions’ order

Srinagar: Government has withdrawn the order that asked the education department to introduce Urdu version of Bhagavad Gita and Kashmiri version of Ramayan in all educational institutions of the state.

The order has been withdrawn by the orders of chief secretary, sources said.

The administrative department of education had shot a letter to the directors of school education department in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

“The school education department will consider purchasing sufficient number of copies each of Urdu version of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and KoshurRamayan authored by Shri SarwanandPremi for making these available in schools,” reads an official communiqué dated 22.10.2018 sent by under-secretary school education department to directors, school education Kashmir/ Jammu.

Similar directions were issued to higher education department, director libraries as well as the culture department of the state.

The order had invited sharp criticism from various quarters including former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Abdullah took to twitter and questioned why only selective religious books are to be placed in schools colleges and government libraries.

“Why just the Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries (and I’m not convinced that they need/should be) then why is it being done selectively? Why are other religions being ignored,” he said.

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