Students in UP Asked to Celebrate Modi’s Birthday, State Denies Sunday School Proposal

“MLAs who have adopted schools in their region will go there and promote PM’s message of cleanliness as part of the celebrations,” MOS for basic education said.

School children with PM Modi

“MLAs who have adopted schools in their region will go there and promote PM’s message of cleanliness as part of the celebrations,” the MoS for basic education said.

School children with PM Modi

School children with PM Narendra Modi. Credit: PTI

New Delhi: Schools across Uttar Pradesh will celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, and all primary school students have mandatorily been asked to go to school for the occasion, despite it being a Sunday.

Minister of state for basic education (independent charge) Anupma Jaiswal told the Times of India that 1.6 lakh government primary schools across UP would celebrate the prime minister’s birthday. “MLAs who have adopted schools in their region will go there and promote PM Modi’s message of cleanliness as part of the celebrations,” she said. However, according to a report in the Economic Times, given that Modi’s birthday falls on a Sunday, the MLAs will be asked to go to the schools on September 16 (Saturday) or September 18 (Monday).

Modi’s dream of ‘swachh bharat’ could only be achieved by creating awareness among children, Jaiswal said. “This will be the best gift to the PM on his birthday. Sweets will also be distributed among the students. The motive behind MLAs adopting schools in their areas is to ensure community participation and an effective monitoring system,” she told the Times of India.

Chandramohan, BJP’s UP spokesperson, said, “He is a perfect icon for children because he has led a life full of hardship and today he is the most powerful man in the world’s largest democracy.”

This is the latest in the BJP-led Centre’s directives to educational institutes. The Union ministry of human resource development recently sent a directive to all higher education institutions telling them to observe ‘cleanliness fortnight’ from September 1 to 15. Vice chancellors were told to organise activities in their universities and to make sure affiliated colleges participated in this. UP’s education department has told schools in the state to celebrate the fortnight as well.

On Friday night, the UP government tweeted a clarification that it was not considering any proposal for primary schools to remain open on Sunday, September 17.

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