Culture vultures swoop down on schools

This time it’s about the activities of the cultural wing of J&K education department

SRINAGAR: Even while the dust over the Vande Mataram recitation in Kashmir’s schools is yet to settle down, another controversy over government sponsored cultural activities in schools has taken Kashmir by storm.

The separatists and moral vigilantes led by Dukhatran-e-Milat are calling it an attempt by the government to “exploit the young girls and promote obscenity”.

After lying low for some time, Dukhataran-e-Milat (DeM) chief Syeda Aisiya Andrabi has suddenly sprung back to action and has threatened to launch an agitation against the “cultural aggression perpetuated by New Delhi and the state government to wean people away from religion”.

“We will soon start an agitation seeking the closure of this cultural wing of the J&K education department that has become a breeding ground for exploitation of our girls,” Aisiya said, adding: “We have to fight this cultural aggression together. We should not allow India to succeed in its designs”.

The DeM supremo even called for reforming the entire education system to blunt the tools of government which she said was bent upon ruining the religious ethos of Kashmiris.

“Our wards are being taught anti-religious teachings in government and private schools and we are watching all this silently. There is a need to set this faulty education system right in Kashmir,” she said.

What has given a boost to Aisiya is the support from the Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The Hurriyat hardliner, while supporting cultural policing, said students were being forced to participate even when they wanted to take leave, and perform cultural programmes.

He went to the extent of asking teachers and students to rise against this aggression if they were being forced in any manner.

“If you want to save your nation and achieve freedom you have to give sacrifices. People should start Islamic education in upcoming and established schools. There is also a need to introduce Arabic, Urdu and English language as compulsory subjects in the schools,” he said.

The J&K government has reacted sharply to the controversy, saying it was an unfortunate and uncalled-for attempt to tarnish the image of education department.

“Through the cultural wing we want to promote our local culture, inculcate moral values and polish the debating skills of the students. It is in no way involved in any sort of cultural aggression. Those who propagate such malicious things are not doing any good to our society,” said Khazir Mohammad, secretary of the education department, J&K.