Teachers demand probe into removal of religious symbols

Jaipur: Govt school teachers under the banner of Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Rashtriya) have written to chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, demanding an inquiry into the removal of religious and cultural symbols from the Shiksha Sankul premises. A delegation of teachers met the director of state open school, Ashish Modi, Tuesday, who assured that an investigation will be conducted into this issue.The teachers alleged that posters and images of Hindu deities, displayed at the Rajasthan State Open School building to mark the Hindu New Year—also observed as Rajasthan Foundation Day—were taken down and discarded, hurting the religious sentiments of staff and teachers."Inspired by the chief minister's historic announcement to celebrate the Hindu New Year as Rajasthan Foundation Day on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the staff decorated the building with stickers and posters featuring Lord Brahma, Lord Shri Ram, the ‘Om' symbol, Varunavatar, Saint Jhulelal, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Maharishi Gautam, Sikh Guru Angad Dev Ji, and Sangh founder Dr Hedgewar," said Mahendra Lakhara, general secretary of the association.Ramesh Pushkarna, state president of the association, said that images of Hindu gods are being removed, while there is a ‘namaz room' in Rajasthan Madarsa Board Bhawan, which is in the Shiksha Sankul campus.Earlier, on Monday, Satish Gupta, OSD to education minister Madan Dilawar, said the matter would be investigated.