J&K’s main regional parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC), on Monday took exception to the Lieutenant Governor’s move to make Muslim students allegedly sing Hindu hymns in government-run educational institutes ahead of Gandhi Jayanti.
“Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid and directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real Hindutva agenda of GOI (Government of India) in Kashmir. Refusing these rabid dictates invites Public Safety Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). It is the cost that we are paying for this so called “Badalta J&K”,” Mehbooba Mufti said.
Her remarks came after students in several schools in the Kashmir valley were seen singing Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram in classes as part of the preparation for the upcoming Gandhi Jayanti. One video from a school in south Kashmir went viral on social media.
The former Chief Minister also posted the video on Twitter. “India is a democracy and every community lives with rights. The Constitution allows all communities to follow their religion. This precisely was the reason that J&K, despite being a Muslim majority, decided to be part of India and not Pakistan in 1947. Our religion too is a target now. Kashmir is being made laboratory of rabid Hindutva agenda,” Ms. Mufti said.
NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar also criticised the government’s move. “Children are being made to sing Hindu devotional songs. Have our education institutions been turned into a political tool?” Mr. Dar asked.
