Bengaluru School Asks Students to Carry Bible Daily, Right-wingers Term The Order ‘Violation of Articles 25, 30’

Launching a scathing attack on Clarence High School, Hindu Janajagruti Samithi claimed that the institute is forcing non-Christian students to read the Bible. Furthermore, they termed the direction violation of Article 25 and 30.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing controversy in Karnataka over introducing the Bhagavad Gita as a part of the school syllabus, one of the schools in the capital city Bengaluru has made it compulsory for the students to carry the Bible to the institute. As per a report, Clarence High School in Bengaluru has also taken an undertaking from the parents that they would not object to their wards carrying the holy book to the premises.

Following the directive, Hindu Janajagruti Samithi State Spokesperson Mohan Gowda has claimed that the school is forcing non-Christian students to read the Bible. Terming the order a violation of Articles 25 and 30 of the Indian constitution, Gowda reportedly said, “There are also non-Christian students who are studying in the school and are forcefully made to learn Bible. There are also guidelines from Supreme Court that education institutions cannot enforce religious teachings on any students.”

This comes days after reports claimed that the Karnataka government is set to introduce Hindu epic stories — ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Mahabharat’ — in its school curriculum from the next academic year. Clearing the air last week, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said: “From next year, moral education will be added to the school syllabus. ‘Bhagavad Gita’, ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Panchatantra Stories’ will also be part of moral education.”

“Whichever ideologies help children towards higher morals would be adopted in moral education. It won’t be confined to religion. The aspects from various religious texts which are beneficial to children would be adopted. However, the aspects of a particular religion followed by 90 per cent of children would find more preference and it is inevitable,” he explained.

Minister Nagesh had also clarified that the title ‘Mysuru Huli’ (Lion of Mysuru) of the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru Kingdom Tipu Sultan will be retained in the textbooks. BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan had demanded to drop the lesson on Tipu Sultan from the textbooks.

“MLA Ranjan had urged that if a lesson on Tipu Sultan is taught, all facets should be taught. Tipu was an anti-Kannada ruler who imposed the Persian language in administration. His atrocities in Kodagu must also be taught to children. But, the lesson on Tipu is not dropped, unnecessary details would be retained. The details on which aspects would be omitted will be shared later”, he explained.

Furthermore, ,minister Nagesh had stated that parents of children studying in Urdu schools have requested him to introduce a contemporary syllabus in those schools. “They fear that their children would lag behind in this competitive world. However, there is no such demand from Madrassas or Minority Welfare Department”, he added.