HRD Minister Smriti Irani: Guru Utsav is just an essay contest

 

She also rejected the criticism that all students were being forced to listen to the Prime Minister’s speech on September 5 saying their participation in the interaction was “voluntary”. Ms Irani stressed that September 5, the birth anniversary of former President the late S. Radhakrishnan, would continue to be celebrated as Teachers Day.

 

Irani said her ministry had sent a representation to all states about an essay competition under the title, Guru Utsav, in their language. “I don’t know how it all started. Those who are commenting either don’t know the facts or are doing it wilfully for political reasons,” she said.

 

Meanwhile, PMK on Monday termed it a discreet attempt to impose Sanskrit. While welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to interact with students, Ramadoss however opposed the day being called as Guru Utsav. 

 

Vaiko also welcomed Modi’s initiative to interact with students, but said it was “strongly condemnable” that the HRD ministry had renamed Teacher’s Day as Guru Utsav.  “The Central government should realise that national integration will be strengthened only if identities of various languages and cultures are promoted,” he said.

 

The saffron party does not see any threat from allies Dr Ramadoss (PMK founder) and firebrand speaker Vaiko (MDMK’s chief) for opposing the Guru Utsav as they are known for their leanings towards Tamil.

 

Lashing out at DMK chief M. Karunanidhi for “seeing a conspiracy” in conducting Guru Utsav, state BJP  president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said the occasion was all about showing our respect to our teachers and not imposing Sanskrit.

 

Reacting to the controversy stoked by the Union HRD ministry’s decision to celebrate Teacher’s Day (Sept. 5) as “Guru Utsav”, the senior leader said even the suggestion to withdraw the name was not acceptable as guru means a teacher. “Mr Karunanidhi is not the only custodian of Tamil language or the Tamil society. People will not take him seriously if he continues to criticise each and every good gesture of the BJP government at the Centre,” Dr Tamilisai pointed out.

 

“A teacher is also a guru. Only in our country we have the quartet concept of maatha, pithaa, guru and theivam. This is a taraka mantra to venerate our mother first, father next, the two who lead us to guru and who in turn shows us the path for progress in life including make us realise god. So theivam or god occupies the fourth place,” she said.

 

“Both Mr Vaiko and Dr Ramadoss are known for their stand. We are not taking those opposing Guru Utsav seriously,” says M. Chakravarthy, state vice-president. There was nothing wrong in appreciating teachers who are our gurus, he added.