The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Maharashtra has issued a show-cause notice to private schools for taking tutorials on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
School Education Minister and senior Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad said she issued the notice on Monday, warning the schools to desist from holding lectures/classes/tutorials on the CAA and the NRC that have sparked nationwide protests. Condemning the BJP for taking up such an exercise, she said the government would not allow any politics in schools.
“We have also asked all schools to teach motivational learnings, teach health and hygiene, etc. I request school administration to not play with young minds. Whatever politics you want to play, do it on different platforms,” she said, adding that the BJP should not make any attempt to change history in schools.
The Minister’s action follows demands from her party and Cabinet colleagues to take action against these schools. A Mulund-based school shot into limelight after taking classes on the CAA/NRC.
Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik told The Hindu, “I have demanded that the Minister identify such schools and take the strictest action possible. This politics in schools will not be tolerated.”
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant tweeted, “Demand strong action against all those @BJP4Maharashtra workers who have tried to pervert the minds of school students & politicise school education. @VarshaEGaikwad (Varsha Gaikwad) ji must take action against this absolutely worst form of politics.”
BJP to file police complaints
The BJP, meanwhile, without denying it was involved in school politics and taking tutorials on CAA/NRC, said it would file police complaints against the Minister's action.
Party’s State vice-president Kirit Somaiya said the party strongly objected to the issuance of notice to schools. “We strongly object to a notice delivered to Mulund’s Dayanand School for the participation of its students in a CAA awareness drive. The twin bills have been passed by Parliament, and if citizens or schools organise any informative drives on the same, why should anybody object. I will file a police complaint against such notice tomorrow. We have already filed counter complaints with the Education Minister,” he added.
