CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government has now decided to introduce recitation of Gayatri Mantra during the morning prayers in government schools of state, already earlier it had introduced verses from Bhagwat Gita in the school text book.
Sources said that decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of senior officials of the education department with the minister.
Confirming that such a decision has been taken by the state government, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said Gayatri Mantra will henceforth be part of the morning prayers conducted in the government schools. "A formal notification in this regard will be issued soon. The Mantra is a gift of our saints to the world,’’ he said.
Three years ago in 2015, the BJP Government had then decided to introduce lessons from Bhagwat Gita in school syllabus. But the move was put on hold after opposition from various quarters and later they were introduced in syllabus in June 2016. Sharma also claimed that Gita Shlokas introduced in the school syllabus had yielded positive results.
Supporting his Education Minister, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the decision to introduce Gayatri Mantra in morning prayers in the schools will yield good results as it will increase ethics and culture in schools. "A lot of deliberation had taken place before deciding to introduce this in the schools prayers,’’ he said.
Terming that it is an attempt of saffronization of education the opposition parties have criticized this move of the state government. “ The BJP lead state government should rather focus on core issues of governance rather than focusing on such issues as it is trying to divert people’s attention from real issues concerning the state like law and order and river waters (SYL) issue, as this government has failed on all fronts,’’ said Ashok Arora, State President of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).