Karnataka: After hijab row, Karnataka is in for another controversy involving with the state education department issuing direction to block education officers to inspect the syllabus of all Christian schools over making reading of Bible compulsory.
The direction came from Education Minister B C Nagesh in the wake of a case against Clarence High School which alleged to have been making reading of the Bible compulsory.
After hijab row, Karnataka is in for another controversy involving with the state education department issuing direction to block education officers to inspect the syllabus of all Christian schools over making reading of Bible compulsory.
The direction came from Education Minister B C Nagesh in the wake of a case against Clarence High School which alleged to have been making reading of the Bible compulsory. The minister’s contention was that no school in the state can preach religion, including minority institutions.
He said if any institute has made preaching of religion compulsory, it amounts to violation of the Karnataka Education Act. He has warned of strict legal action against the schools found guilty of violating the syllabus. There is no room for schools teaching central syllabus to include religious matters, he added.
Progressive thinkers and the Opposition Congress party may resist the move.
Given the sensitivity of the issue and the volatile situation in the state in the wake of hijab row, sources in the education department said that the exercise is bound to take a communal turn.
The sources added that a number of the Christian schools have been teaching Christian value system as part of their curriculum since decades which will be against the rules going strictly by the law.
Nagesh had alleged that schools run by Christian managements are denying admission to children for refusing to read the Bible. He took a dig at the Opposition leaders saying they make a hue and cry over the issue of a lesson on Tipu Sultan and hijab, but turn a blind eye to this issue.
The ruling BJP, accused of pursuing aggressive Hindutva in the state, has taken another step in this direction with regard to teaching of the Bible in Christian schools. Sources in the Education Ministry say the issue is bound to snowball into a major controversy in the coming days. DNA India
