On 17 September, government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will have a special celebration – to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the PM’s Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi alone, the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh cadre will be carrying out celebrations across 130 primary schools on 16 September. They will receive a lecture on “public welfare schemes and achievements” of the Modi government, apart from packs of sweets and stationary, as Indian Express reported. The celebrations will take place from 8-11 am and a photo of the PM at the event is mandatory.
State BJP MLAs will visit the schools and spend the day with the kids there to talk about Modi’s “vision of a new India,” The Economic Times quoted senior party leaders as saying.
It has been made mandatory for students to attend the celebration on the day, which falls on a Sunday, according to The Times of India. “MLAs who have adopted schools in their region will go there and promote PM Modi's message of cleanliness as part of the celebrations,” the publication quoted MoS basic education (independent charge) Anupma Jaiswal as saying.
The MLAs who will spend time in the schools will also take stock of the basic facilities in the school, ET reported.
“It is unfortunate that in the last 15 years, government schools in the state have been reduced to just places where mid-day meals are provided,” ET quoted minister for industrial development, Satish Mahana, as saying.
Brij Bhushan Chaudhary, the Varanasi district Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) said:
I have not received any application so far from BJP for permission to hold any such programme in government primary schools. Once they submit an application, it will be considered.
Pradeep Agrahari, the Varanasi Mahanagar president of the party, said there are 26 mandal units in Varanasi constituency and Modi’s birthday will be celebrated in five primary schools in each unit.
These are government schools. We do not need permission to hold celebrations there.
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