The Opposition Congress Party in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday slammed the BJP government's recent directive to the teachers to recite "Bhojan Mantra" before meals and termed the move as an attempt to 'saffronise' the education system.
The State Congress Spokesman, Arvind Malviya in a statement strongly criticised the State Higher and School Education Minister, Archana Chitnis for issuing the directives to recite Bhojan Mantra before meals.
He said that India is a secular country where every individual has right to live as per his/her religious beliefs.
Malviya said that mid-day meal is a government scheme and therefore, the state government has no right to implement its own agenda in it by asking the teachers to recite 'Bhojan Mantra'.
He said that the BJP government instead of dividing community by creating disputes should focus on providing quality and nutritious food to the children and check the malnutrition deaths in the state.
The Congress spokesman said that his party in the state will not allow the government to saffronise the education system.