THRISSUR: A day after the Guru Purnima celebrations at CNN Girls’ Higher Secondary School at Cherpu here, many have raised concern over the inclusion of students from other religions in the ceremony.
On Friday, the school, which had completed a century of existence, celebrated Guru Purnima by honouring the teachers. In a photograph that went viral on social media, Muslim girls are seen paying respect to their teacher by offering flowers at his feet and touching the feet.
Shameer PA, a social activist based at Cherpu said: “it is not fair to include students from other religions in the Hindu practices. The students will definitely be afraid to express their opposition to it,” he said adding educational institutions under the state government were supposed to be free from religious practices.
Shameer said he would submit a petition to the Education Minister and the Chief Minister to prohibit such activities in schools.
Meanwhile, pointing out the issue, Congress MLA V T Balram wrote on his Facebook the knowledge being given by the teachers was no more a generosity, rather they were being paid for it.
“Education is the right of the child. It is being imparted by the state government. It is not wrong to appreciate a good teacher, but the practice of touching the feet and making students bend in front of the teachers should be questioned,” he wrote.
What kind of culture is being emphasized through the practice, he asked. Responding to the controversies, school manager E Balagopalan said the school had not compelled any student to practice it.
Youth League demands action
Kozhikode: Muslim Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, has objected to the incident in which students of a school in Thrissur were asked to pay respects to teachers by touching their feet and offering flowers at their feet on the occasion of Guru Purnima.
Youth outfit’s state general secretary P K Firos said compelling students of other religions and non-believers to follow practices of a particular religion was unconstitutional.
It was also an infringement of personal liberty, Firos said.
Youth League leaders have petitioned the Education Minister on the matter and have urged him to conduct an inquiry into the incident and take action against those involved.