‘Islamisation’ row over Nitish govt’s school holidays decision

A political row erupted after the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government decided to slash the holidays for the state’s schools on the occasion of Hindu festivals while increasing them for Muslim festivals.

The Bihar education department on Monday issued the holiday calendar for 2024 with fewer leaves and said the chart has been created to ensure at least 220 teaching days under the Right to Education.

The state government announced that it will be axing Janmashtami, Rakshabandhan, Ramnavami, Shivratri, Teej, Vasant Panchami and Jivitputrika holidays while giving three days holidays each for Eid and Bakrid, and two days for Muharram.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders came out in opposition to the move and said that such policy decisions reflect Nitish Kumar’s mindset of appeasement towards a particular community.

Calling Nitish Kumar the “chief of appeasement”, Union Minister Ashwini Choubey said that after the decision, the “anti-Hindu face” of the grand alliance has come to the fore again. He also alleged that the Bihar government “hates Sanatan Dharma for vote bank.”

In a video message on the social media platform X Choubey said, “The leader of appeasement – Kursi Kumar of Bihar. Once again, the anti-Hindu face of the government of ‘Chacha-Bhatija’ has come to the fore. On one hand, the number of Muslim festival holidays is being increased in schools and on the other hand, the Hindu festival holidays are being scrapped.”

“Shame on the government that hates Sanatan for vote bank,” he added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Giriraj Singh also slammed Kumar’s “Tughlaqi Diktat” adding that it is clear that he hates Hindus and trying to do Islamisation of Bihar.

“The Nitish govt has gone crazy. It’s a clear appeasement politics. You are dividing Hindus on the basis of caste and now this. People won’t forgive you. This step is against the Hindus of the state. Teachers as well as students should protest. BJP will agitate if required. It’s a Tughlaqi Diktat. Nitish govt is trying to do Islamization of the state,” Singh said.

Hitting out at the government’s decision, BJP leader Sushil Modi alleged that Nitish Kumar’s administration has shown an “anti-Hindu face” while claiming that the sentiments of Hindus have been hurt.

“Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has shown an anti-Hindu face and taken a decision to hurt the sentiments of the Hindus…The holidays for Hindu festivals have been selectively slashed while holidays for Muslim festivals have been increased,” Modi said.