Rajasthan schools and colleges told to observe Ambedkar Jayanti
Opposition slammed the move as mere “tokenistic” and one taken by a “desperate” government.
The departments of school education and higher education have instructed schools and colleges in the state to organise programmes to observe Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14. School and college principal said that this is the first time such a direction has been issued.
Opposition leaders, however, slammed the move as mere “tokenistic” and one taken by a “desperate” government.
Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on April 14 to commemorate the memory of social reformer Dr BR Ambedkar.
The directorate of secondary education, Bikaner, issued an order to schools on April 7, directing the institutes “to ceremoniously organise programmes and competitions on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti”, said Nathmal Didel, state director of secondary education.
“We received a letter from the department of social justice and empowerment, directing us to observe Ambedkar Jayanti early as the exams in most districts are scheduled from April 13 and preceded by two days of preparation leave,” he said. “We have instructed the schools to observe it on their last working day.”
Asked if it was the first time that such an order has been issued, he said, “As far as I remember, this is the first time.”
“But this has been done in view of the exams and preparation leaves.”
A similar order was issued from the commissionerate of college education on April 12. The colleges have been directed to organise programmes on Ambedkar’s life history, works and the constitution by April 14.
Jyotsna Bhardwaj, the joint director (academic) who signed the order, said it was issued at the behest of the state social justice department.
According to the list of orders on the commissionerate’s website, no such order was issued in the past four years.
Reacting to the government’s decision, state Congress chief Sachin Pilot said the BJP government in the state is desperate as it has been clearly identified as anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti-Dalit.
“This government only believes in tokenism,” said Pilot.
“If they really cared about Ambedkar’s teachings, they wouldn’t have let the situation of the Dalits in the state come to such a sorry pass. The atrocities and injustices against Dalits in the state speak for themselves.”
Earlier this month, the government made Parshuram Jayanti a public holiday, conceding to a long standing demand of the Brahmin community.
