Ban yagyas, hawans in schools, demands Himachal Pradesh Gyan Vigyan Samiti

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 21

The Himachal Pradesh Gyan Vigyan Samiti has objected to holding hawans and yagyas in some schools of the state. The samiti demanded that the Directorate of Education take appropriate action against teachers and other employees who were involved in the organisation of such events in schools. Samiti state president Omprakash and state secretary Satyawan Pundir yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Secretary (Education) and the Director (Higher Education), calling for a ban on such events in schools. Pundir, in a statement issued here, said these days, cases of yagyas and havan s were coming to light in schools and, being a scientific and rational organisation, the Himachal Pradesh Gyan Vigyan Samiti opposed events that “promoted narrow-mindedness and were unscientific”.

‘Religion a personal matter’

Believing in any religion is a personal matter. It is unfair to forcefully impose it onto others at public places. — Satyawan Pundir, state secretary , Himachal Pradesh Gyan Vigyan Samiti

“On April 9, a havan was organised under the supervision of the Principal at Senior Secondary School, Sarkaghat, and a similar event has also been reported in Senior Secondary School, Gokhada, (Sadar Block) of Mandi District. During the natural disaster in monsoons last year, the director of IIT had given an unscientific statement regarding the food habits of the state, which was strongly opposed by the committee,” Pundir said.

“This raises suspicions about special forces behind the scenes, who are working to pollute the environment of educational institutions,” he added. He said the administration should take serious cognisance of such incidents and conduct thorough investigations in this regard.

Such events in educational institutions were unconstitutional and unscientific, and promoted narrow-mindedness and superstition, he added.

“A school campus is a public and secular one, where education should be imparted without any religious or caste discrimination, or narrow-mindedness. Implementation of constitutional values is taught in schools. It is not right to organise events and rituals based on a particular religion and promote it on the same neutral premises,” Pundir said.

“Believing in any religion is a personal matter. It is unfair to forcefully impose it onto others at public places,” he added.

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