Union Human Resource Development Ministry has now asked all educational institutions to organise ‘Good Governance Day’ events – initially to be held on Christmas to celebrate former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s birthday – before the winter break.
In a letter to all Central Universities, the Ministry on Monday requested them to “organise the seminar on ‘Use of Technology and Innovations in Promoting Good Governance’ and a competition on oratory in such manner that Christmas holidays are not disturbed.”
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Tuesday sought a “factual note” from the Government after K.C. Venugopal (Congress) alleged that the House had been misled on the issue. The Trinamool Congress moved a privilege notice against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha for misleading the House on the issue.
The Ministry’s circulars to nodal agencies of schools, Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), All India Council for Technical Education and Central Universities to organise events on December 25 to mark Mr. Vajpayee’s birthday has kicked up a storm inside and outside Parliament as it was seen as a bid by the Government to eclipse Christmas Day.
Monday’s circular from the Ministry replaces the initial one so that “celebrations relating to [the] birth anniversary of Mr. Vajpayee may be completed prior to Christmas break.” With the Government stating in Parliament that participation in these events are voluntary, the Ministry has not asked for a compliance report from institutions in the revised circular.
According to Ministry officials, revised circulars had been despatched to AICTE, CFTIs, and nodal agencies of schools also.
