BJP accuses Nitish Kumar govt of scrapping school holidays during festivals

Patna: The BJP unleashed a scathing attack on Nitish Kumar’s Bihar government, accusing it of scrapping school holidays during Hindu festivals while increasing them for Muslim festivals.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh and other top leaders of the BJP including Sushil Kumar Modi condemned the move, alleging that the state government’s actions were aimed at appeasing the Muslim community.

Mr. Singh directly blamed Nitish Kumar and the Grand Alliance government for what he termed as “appeasement politics”. He highlighted that “several schools in the Muslim-dominated, Seemanchal region already observe holidays on Fridays”.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who is considered a firebrand and Hindutva face of the BJP in Bihar, warned of consequences for the state government if they didn’t extend school holidays during Hindu festivals.

“Many schools in the Seemanchal region (Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar) are already observing holidays in schools on Fridays. If the school holidays during our festivals are not increased then this government in Bihar will face the consequences'', Union Minister Giriraj Singh said.

The Bihar Education Department has claimed that the school calendar for 2024 was revised to ensure at least 220 teaching days.

However, the state unit of the BJP pointed out that important festivals like Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Teej, Jitiya and Shivratri were cut. On the other hand, a three-day holiday has been given for festivals like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al–Adha (Bakrid) in Urdu medium schools. But in non-Urdu medium schools, there is a provision for just one day holiday for Eid festivals.

If Nitish Kumar continues like this, the state will become an Islamic republic of Bihar”. Giriraj Singh said in a statement.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh was not alone in criticizing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as Union Minister Ashwini Choubey and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar also accused the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan of favouring festivals of a community “hurting sentiments of Hindus in the state”.

Ashwini Choubey, echoing Giriraj Singh’s sentiments, slammed the Bihar administration as “biased treatment” sparking political controversy in Bihar.

Reacting to the issue, RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav accused the BJP of “unnecessarily politicizing the revised school calendar, which was issued to ensure a minimum of 220 days of teaching.

The central government’s guidelines in this regard prompted the state government to revise the calendar in Bihar. This clearly shows that the BJP doesn’t want education for the children of farmers and underprivileged children”.

The BJP unleashed a scathing attack on Nitish Kumar’s Bihar government, accusing it of scrapping school holidays during Hindu festivals while increasing them for Muslim festivals.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh and other top leaders of the BJP including Sushil Kumar Modi condemned the move, alleging that the state government’s actions were aimed at appeasing the Muslim community.

Singh directly blamed Nitish Kumar and the Grand Alliance government for what he termed as “appeasement politics”. He highlighted that “several schools in the Muslim-dominated, Seemanchal region already observe holidays on Fridays”.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who is considered a firebrand and Hindutva face of the BJP in Bihar, warned of consequences for the state government if they didn’t extend school holidays during Hindu festivals.

“Many schools in the Seemanchal region (Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar) are already observing holidays in schools on Fridays. If the school holidays during our festivals are not increased then this government in Bihar will face the consequences'', Union Minister Giriraj Singh said.

The Bihar Education Department has claimed that the school calendar for 2024 was revised to ensure at least 220 teaching days.

However, the state unit of the BJP pointed out that important festivals like Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Teej, Jitiya and Shivratri were cut. On the other hand, a three-day holiday has been given for festivals like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al–Adha (Bakrid) in Urdu medium schools. But in non-Urdu medium schools, there is a provision for just one day holiday for Eid festivals.

If Nitish Kumar continues like this, the state will become an Islamic republic of Bihar”. Giriraj Singh said in a statement.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh was not alone in criticizing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as Union Minister Ashwini Choubey and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar also accused the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan of favouring festivals of a community “hurting sentiments of Hindus in the state”.

Ashwini Choubey, echoing Giriraj Singh’s sentiments, slammed the Bihar administration as “biased treatment” sparking political controversy in Bihar.

Reacting to the issue, RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav accused the BJP of “unnecessarily politicizing the revised school calendar, which was issued to ensure a minimum of 220 days of teaching.

The central government’s guidelines in this regard prompted the state government to revise the calendar in Bihar. This clearly shows that the BJP doesn’t want education for the children of farmers and underprivileged children”.