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The Congress has accused the BJP government of deliberately violating the secular fabric of the nation and forcing a majoritarian religious agenda onto vulnerable schoolchildren
According to government officials, the comprehensive order applies to both government and private educational facilities. Representational image
The Chhattisgarh government has issued a sweeping mandate making the daily recitation of the Gayatri Mantra, as per reports, alongside other traditional Hindu prayers, the national anthem, and the national song Vande Mataram, compulsory across all schools in the state. The directive, structured by the School Education Department and issued to all District Education Officers (DEOs), marks a radical shift in the daily routine of educational institutions. Coming into absolute effect with the commencement of the 2026-27 academic session, the new policy outlines a strictly regulated, three-tiered timetable for collective chanting and singing throughout the school day.
According to government officials, the comprehensive order applies to both government and private educational facilities. The new protocol divides the school day into three specific slots dedicated to cultural and value-based activities. Under the newly implemented guidelines, the morning assembly will now begin with the collective singing of the national anthem and the national song (Vande Mataram), directly followed by the chanting of the Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, and Guru Mantra. The morning routine will conclude with mandatory readings from the biographies of eminent personalities.
Strict Inspections and Disciplinary Penalties Mandated
The structural overhauling of the school day continues during lunch hours and final dismissals. Before receiving their mid-day meals, students are required to collectively recite a designated food prayer, the Bhojan Mantra. The conclusion of the school day is similarly anchored by ritualistic elements, marked by the joint recitation of the Chhattisgarh state song, the Gayatri Mantra, and the Shanti Mantra.
The School Education Department has justified the decision by stating that the structured routine is fundamentally designed to foster patriotism, discipline, and moral values among young learners. Officials added that the mandatory activities aim to drive students’ intellectual development while firmly connecting the next generation with traditional Indian culture and national ideals. To ensure absolute compliance, the state government has authorised DEOs to conduct sudden, rigorous inspections of school premises. The administration has explicitly warned that strict disciplinary and administrative action will be taken against school managements or principals found violating the newly prescribed prayer guidelines.
Opposition Slams Direct RSS Ideological Push
The sweeping circular has triggered an immediate and intense ideological battleground in the state, drawing sharp condemnation from civil rights groups and opposition parties. The opposition Congress party launched an aggressive offensive against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the state government of deliberately violating the secular fabric of the nation and forcing a majoritarian religious agenda onto vulnerable schoolchildren.
Congress communication department representatives publicly questioned the statutory necessity of forcing children belonging to minority communities and diverse faiths to participate in specific Hindu religious rituals. The opposition alleged that the directive is a calculated move to convert state-run educational institutions into ideological labs, systematically imposing the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). While rights organisations have actively called for an immediate withdrawal of the circular on constitutional grounds, the BJP has robustly countered the criticism, arguing that the hymns are purely cultural tokens of wisdom and universal guidance necessary for national character building.
About the Author
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More
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