Relevance : GS Paper II
Context
The headmaster of a government school in Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh) was suspended recently by the district administration following a complaint by a local Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader that he was asking his students to sing religious prayers in the morning assembly.
Do prayers in the morning assembly amount to giving religious instruction?
Yes:
- An institution funded by the state, partially or wholly, cannot have any religious instructions at all. Article 28(3) is absolutely clear that it cannot require a child to attend religious instructions if the school receives even a small [state] aid unless consented to by the guardian.
- Using the spiritual heritage of the country to inculcate morality looks good; but the minute it appeals to or refers to something superhuman, it contradicts the spirit of rationality and compromises on scientific temper.
- Countries like France and the U.S. have a strict wall of separation between the state and religion. Once we have made a choice that we are a secular country, religions instruction cannot be given at any state-funded institution.
- Religion has contributed to ethics, morality and to human civilisation. But, religions have led to bloodshed and persecution. Therefore, a modern, progressive country like India has to make a choice.
No:
- The morning assembly is an occasion used for various purposes, and music/singing is part of it. Once you realise that this is some kind of a start to the day, you cannot avoid poetry or language of the country. And once you are in that domain, there is no distinction between the aesthetics of a song and [of] a poem that has spiritual overtones.
- It will be very strange to say that government schools should not sing bhajans of Surdas or Tulsidas which are very basic to the cultural, literary and aesthetic traditions of the entire Hindi belt.
- Article 39 talks of creating a social ethos in which everyone feels a sense of dignity. That sense of dignity can’t be kept exclusively at the altar of science.
- Science is a systematic pursuit of knowledge. The study of religion is also one part of it. Direct religious instruction has to be distinguished from traditions of religion which are part of a cultural ethos of the country.
- Are we going to ban paintings which also have spiritual overtones or ban the teaching of temple architecture?
- Article 51A of the Constitution says citizens should cherish and follow the noble ideals of those who guided our freedom struggle. Therefore, bhajans such as those of Gandhi’s cannot be banned.
- Assembly is part and parcel of private schools and many private schools have beautiful morning assemblies. The beautiful traditions of the country are communicated in morning assemblies.
Conclusion
We need greater autonomy and a far greater intellectual space to engage with our heritage.
