After drawing flak for asking students to tweet ‘Thank You Modi Sir’ for cancelling CBSE board examinations, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) regional office, Bengaluru, has now asked its schools to put up ‘Thank you PM Modi’ banners and hoardings on gates and in suitable places for free vaccines for all.
The office has sent an email to principals of all 51 schools. The mail, sent by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education to different sections, asks them to send screenshots of the same. “You are requested that necessary directions may kindly be issued for their wide display and propagation in the form of banners, hoardings etc. on the gates and other suitable places in the office premises as well as that of PSUs and other departments/institutions/attached offices under your administrative control,” the mail states.
Authorities have been instructed to post the banner in the regional language or in Hindi, and that free vaccines are available for all those above 18 in government centres from June 21.
This email has been forwarded by Assistant Commissioner, KVS, Regional Officer, Bengaluru states that schools should take necessary action.
The move has been criticised by a section of parents and staff of KV schools who feel that the central government is increasingly using all the initiatives to thank the Prime Minister. The parent of a KV school student in the city said: “It is a pity that school campuses are being used to praise the Prime Minister for all his programmes. Schools should not be forced to give free publicity for the Prime Minister. Why should students’ fees be used to put up such hoardings ?”
The principal of a KV said they do not want to put up the poster, which also includes the photograph of the Prime Minister. “We have no choice but to comply as they have asked us for an action taken report. We are sad that government schemes are being projected as an effort of an individual,” said the principal.
Sirimala Sambanna, Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru regional office, KVS, said the mail came from the Ministry and therefore was forwarded to the schools.
