PM’s Teachers’ Day address: CPI(M) demands withdrawal of HRD “directive”

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry “directive’’ to schools nationwide to show the Prime Minister’s Teachers’ Day address live to students on school premises.

The Polit Bureau noted that the “directive’’ violated the federal structure of the country. Further, it underlined the fact that such a “directive’’ was unprecedented as the President or Prime Minister’s addresses to the nation had never before been made mandatory viewing. “Clearly, the RSS/BJP seek to use this occasion for the indoctrination of the young minds, instead of them being exposed to all ideas and, thus, preparing them to make informed choices in their lives.’’

Taking note of the fact that the Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has subsequently clarified that such an instruction is not compulsory for the schools to follow, the CPI(M) said it “nevertheless pressurises the school administration’’ to follow as most schools in the country are either government schools or government subsidised ‘aided schools’.