Jammu & Kashmir Education Minister Altaf Bukhari on Saturday asked Army chief Bipin Rawat “not to meddle in the State’s education system” and “stick to his mandate”, a day after General Rawat raised the issue of two maps being taught in schools here.
“The Army should confine its role to security related issues and not make unnecessary comments beyond its constitutional mandate ... Gen. Rawat is a professional and well-decorated officer. He is not an educationist to issue sermons on education,” said Mr. Bukhari. Mr. Rawat had in Delhi on Friday expressed surprise at the India and J&K State maps being taught in the schools here and suggested “it was not needed”.
“The remarks are totally unfair and unacceptable. Education is a State subject and falls well within the State’s domain,” Mr. Bukhari said.
He asked Gen. Rawat to do “his job well”. “There are many problems here because they are not doing their job well. I would be glad if they [Army] do what they are supposed to do and leave us to do what we are supposed to do.
We know how to run our education system,” he said. The Minister said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was “capable enough to look into the loopholes of the education system”.