Giriraj slams Nitish govt for holding teachers’ training during Durga Puja

In a circular issued by SCERT Director Sajjan R on October 12, district education officers have been asked to organise a six-day residential training of teachers from October 16.

Union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday slammed the Bihar government for “depriving” school teachers of Durga Puja holidays till October 21 by holding a training programme in that period and said such an instruction is “against religious sentiments” of teachers from Hindu community.

A BJP delegation led by Union minister Giriraj Singh presents a memorandum to Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Raj Bhawan in Patna on Saturday. (HT photo)

Singh, along with BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav, met Governor Rajendra Arlekar to register his protest against the Nitish Kumar government’s decision to organise the residential training of teachers during Durga Puja and termed the instruction as “Tughlaqi farman”.

“The decision to hold residential training of teachers during Durga Puja by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) of the education department is against the religious sentiments of Hindu teachers. It is a Tughlaqi farman of the Bihar government. We will not allow this to happen. I met the Governor today and sought his intervention into the matter,” said the BJP leader.

In a circular issued by SCERT Director Sajjan R on October 12, district education officers have been asked to organise a six-day residential training of teachers from October 16.

Several teachers’ organisations have opposed the circular of the SCERT, stating that the training schedule will “deprive us of Durga Puja holidays that will start from October 17 in most of the districts”.

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar dismissed Singh’s allegation that state government’s decision to keep the training programme during the Navratra period was arbitrary. “Schools are never closed from Kalash stapana till Vijay Dashmi. In the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, there is a similar rule. Besides, the teachers’ training is being done on the instructions from the Centre,” Kumar said, adding that the central government should issue guidelines regarding holidays during Navratra.

(with inputs from PTI)