Madhya Pradesh’s prayer order to be challenged

BHOPAL - A group of socio-cultural organisations in Madhya Pradesh Saturday said they would file a petition in the high court demanding that the compulsory recitation of ‘bhojan mantra’ prayers before the mid-day meal in schools be immediately stopped.

The decision came after the groups failed to get an appointment from state Education Minister Archana Chitnis to discuss the issue.

Two years after introducing the surya namaskar or prayer to the Sun god in schools, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government last month directed that students in state-run schools have to recite a ‘bhojan mantra’ before their mid-day meals.

“The schoolchildren in the state will have to recite the ‘bhojan mantra’ before their mid-day meals. This will come into force from Sep 5 - Teachers Day this year,” a notice from Chitnis said.

However, this sparked off controversy as many Muslim and Christian organizations had described it as being against the religious freedom of the minorities.

“Since the state education minister seems to be avoiding a meeting, we would file a petition in the high sourt very soon,” the representative of one of the organisation told IANS, but declined to divulge all the issues to be included in the petition or when it would be filed.

On Friday, representatives from various socio-cultural organisations submitted a memorandum to Governor Rameshwar Thakur demanding cancellation of the education department’s order.

Calling on the governor to intervene, the memorandum said that these decisions seek to divide students and teachers on the basis of religion.

“No such decision should be imposed in educational institutions, which may be emanating from the practices of one religion. Ours is a secular constitution, which prohibits state power to patronise one particular religion. Recitation of ‘bhojan mantra’ is a ritual prevailing in Hindu society,” the memorandum said, noting the high court had already rejected the government’s decision regarding compulsory ’surya namaskar’ in schools.

The delegation comprised of L.S. Hardenia, convenor of the National Secular Forum, Kamala Prasad, the national secretary of the Progressive Writers Association, Father Anand Muttungal, the spokesperson of Catholic Church, Ram Prakash of Janvadi Lekhak Sangh, Govind Singh, a government employees leader and several others.