Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a mandatory daily prayer routine in all schools run under the state Education Department, requiring the Gayatri Mantra and other Hindu prayers to be recited during school worship gatherings.
The new practice came into effect from Thursday, the day schools reopened for the new academic year in the state, which is governed by the BJP under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
According to a circular issued on June 12 to all district education officers, schools must follow three compulsory routines at different times of the day. The morning assembly should include the national anthem, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, and a reading from the life stories of notable personalities.
During the midday meal break, students are required to collectively recite a prayer before eating. At the end of the school day, the Gayatri Mantra and Shanti Mantra must be sung.
The government has directed district education officers to ensure strict compliance across all schools. The Congress has strongly objected, alleging that making Hindu prayers compulsory in schools attended by students of other faiths amounts to imposing an RSS ideology, and has demanded the order be withdrawn.
