Kishanganj: District Education Officer (DEO) has directed the private CBSE-affiliated schools of Bihar's Kishanganj district to teach Urdu. The order has triggered controversy with BJP warning of raising demands to teach Gayatri Mantra.
DEO Nasir Hussain has issued a letter to the heads of private schools to teach Urdu as Kishanganj is a Muslim-dominated district.
The order comes after the meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA), where Congress MLA Izharul Hussain and MP Dr Javed Azad pointed out that Urdu is not being taught in private schools operating in the district. They said this is a minority-dominated district so students should get the opportunity to study Urdu.
"All private CBSE-affiliated schools in the district should ensure necessary arrangements for students to study Urdu and submit a compliance report to the Bihar education project office," Nasir Hussain, DEO said.
Slamming the DEO's letter, BJP district president Sushant Gope said subjects that are to be taught in schools should be decided only on the basis of the rules laid down by CBSE. He said that if an attempt is made to forcefully impose Urdu in schools then BJP will oppose it. Gope further said that if pressure is created to teach Urdu, then BJP will demand Gayatri Mantra recitation during school prayers.
When Bal Mandir Vidyalaya secretary Trilokchand Jain was contacted in this regard, he said that it is not possible to make separate arrangements for teaching Urdu to two or four children. He said that if one wants to teach Urdu to children, then a separate school should be set up for this. Jain said that this is not the government's instruction.
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