Amid Backlash, Order on Religious Books for Educational Institutions Withdrawn

Amid outrage and backlash on social media, the Jammu and Kashmir school education department has withdrawn an order, a day after it was issued, asking educational institutions to purchase Urdu copies of “Shrimad Bhagavad Gita” and “Koshur Ramayana” authored by Shri Sarwanand Premi for their libraries. The order issued said, “Circular issued by the Education Department regarding the introduction of some religious books stands withdrawn.”

Earlier, an order was issued by the Education Department to consider purchasing sufficient number of copies of Gita and Ramayana. The order read, “The School Education Department, Higher Education Department, Director Colleges, Director, Libraries and Culture Department will consider purchasing sufficient number of copies of each of Urdu version of “Shrimad Bhagavad Gita” and “Koshur Ramayana” authored by Shri Sarwanand Premi for making these available in Schools/Colleges and public libraries etc., of the State.”

As soon as the order became public, social media was buzzing with outrage. Slamming the order, National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Why just Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries (and I’m not convinced that they need/ should be) then why is it done selectively? Why are other religions being ignored?” (sic.)

Branding the move as “Hindu Propaganda”, several people had showed their discontent. “This is simply a Hindu propaganda, why not all religious texts? Why only Ramayana and Gita? They have no answer to that. First, the BJP attempted to make inroads via elections and now these texts. This is definitely going to cause outrage,” said a man from Kashmir on condition of anonymity. Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress commenting on this move said, “There shouldn’t be politics in the name of religion.” Separatists had also come out in protest of the order. 

However, Jammu and Kashmir State BJP Chief Ravinder Raina has said that it is part of a “dirty politics by Omar.”