New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Union minister Upendra Kushwahatoday termed the decision of the Uttar Pradesh government tointroduce NCERT books in madrassas a "good initiative" andsaid the books were good and affordable.
The minister of state for human resource development saidthe Centre had provided an option to all schools, whetherprivate or government, to adopt the National Council OfEducational Research And Training (NCERT) books which weregood and affordable.
"If the UP government has taken a decision keeping thisin view, then it is definitely a good initiative," he toldreporters on the sidelines of an event here which marked theopening ceremony of cultural festival 'Ek Bharat ShresthaBharat 2017' by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
Asked about the criticism from some quarters that thegovernment's intention was to "saffronise" the madrassas, hesaid it was "not proper (for him) to give any political"comment at the event.
The Uttar Pradesh government had yesterday announced itsdecision to introduce NCERT books in madrassas in the state,apart from making mathematics and science compulsory at theintermediate level in Islamic schools.
The steps were intended to make madrassa students morecompetitive by providing them contemporary and qualityeducation, according to Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma.
Replying to a query about the Jaipur MunicipalCorporation (JMC) beginning the practice of playing thenational anthem at the start of day and the national song inthe evening at its headquarters, he said, "The states havetheir own rights and they can take their own decisions."Addressing the event, the minister said a day in Indiawould come when a person in Kanyakumari would feel pain ifany person in Kashmir was hurt. "Only then can we achieve EkBharat, Shrestha Bharat," he added.
He said Kendriya Vidalaya students, who had enthralledthe audience with their performance at the event, were full oftalent and capable of taking India to new heights.
He said it was wonderful to see students of one statespeaking languages of different states. "But we await a timewhen people of one state will also feel the pain of otherstate. The new generation will bring this change in oursociety," he said.
KVS Commissioner Santosh Kumar Mall said 1,250 studentsfrom 25 KVS regions spread across the country wereparticipating in the event along with their 125 escortteachers.
The unique feature of the fest was that students from onestate represented the cultural diversity of another state, hesaid.
The three-day programme is open for the public. PTI MPAAR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.