BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday made a slew of announcements to coincide with the Bhagwan Parashurama Jayanti and Akshaya Tritiya.
A key announcement is the inclusion of the teachings of Bhagwan Parashurama (considered the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu) in the school syllabus.
"Though the books would have been published by now, I'll still call the curriculum committee and direct them to include a lesson on Bhagwan Parashurama in the curriculum. All the students should learn Sanskrit, Bhagwan Ram, Parashurama, Krishna, and Bhagavad Gita. None can object to it, as this is our Sanatan culture, which should be taught to students," Chouhan announced at an event to unveil the giant statue of Bhagwan Parashurama in the LalGhati Gufa Temple in Bhopal.
Importantly, four years back in April 2018, a decision was reportedly taken by the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to include a chapter on Bhagwan Parashurama in the state's school curriculum.
He also announced the increased appointment of Sanskrit teachers/scholars in the state. "So far 1900 posts of Sanskrit teachers have been filled, while the process of recruiting Sanskrit teachers for remaining posts will continue. Till the time the requisite posts of Sanskrit teachers aren't filled, we'll utilize the services of qualified Atithi Shikshaks (guest teachers) to ensure that Sanskrit education continues uninterrupted in the state."
Chouhan further announced starting scholarships for Sanskrit Karma Kand students. "If students becoming doctors can get scholarships, then similar scholarships need to be started for Sanskrit students as well."
Further, the CM announced to raise the monthly remuneration of temple priests (who don't get proper donations, are located in remote villages, and don't even have land) to Rs 5,000.
He further announced that no land of any temple in the state will be auctioned by the state, if at all the land is auctioned it will be done by the Pujari (temple priests).
"The seers are seated on the stage of this event, so a committee of seers and scholars will soon be formed, which will ensure that temple land remain intact, as such lands have been sold/fragmented at many places in the past. Many people have donated land in the memory of their parents and forefathers, so the sale of such land shouldn't be allowed. The committee will look into the matter to ensure that there is no government interference in issues of temple land, decisions pertaining to temple lands across the state will be taken by the temple priests and no one else."
The announcements were made from a stage, which was graced by senior Brahmin politicians of BJP and Congress, including state BJP president VD Sharma, ex-Bhopal mayor and senior BJP leader Alok Sharma, senior Congress leader and ex-union minister Suresh Pachauri and ex-MP minister and sitting Congress MLA PC Sharma, who was the minister for religious affairs and spirituality department in the erstwhile Kamal Nath-led Congress government in MP.
Also, seated on the same stage was a top Hindu spiritual guru Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj, who is the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the biggest Akhara, the Juna Akhara.
The announcements at the event not only formed part of the BJP government's saffron agenda but were also intended to appease the Brahmins, whose vote is crucial in parts of Gwalior-Chambal, Vindhya and Bundelkhand regions.
It should be noted that the state goes to the polls next year.
Tuesday's announcements by the MP CM came nearly a week after he had made public plans to teach Bhagavad Gita to college students in the state.
Last year, the MP government decided to start lectures on RSS founder Dr KB Hedgewar, Jan Sangh icon Deendayal Upadhyaya, spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda, Dr BR Ambedkar, Mahrishi Charak and sage Sushruta in the month-long NMC foundation course of MBBS First Year students.
Also, the government had decided to teach Applied Philosophy of Ramcharitmanas as an optional subject to BA First Year students in colleges and universities.