BJP allies PMK and DMDK criticised the naming of the competition as 'Guru Utsav'
Smriti Irani, HRD Minister. (PHoto: PTI)
New Delhi/Chennai: After opposition DMK and allies like PMK and DMDK protested against the Union government’s move to celebrate Teachers Day as Guru Utsav, HRD minister Smirit Irani on Monday said it was the name of an essay competition and wondered if those criticising the move were doing it for political reasons.
She also rejected the criticism that all students were being forced to listen to the Prime Minister’s speech on September 5 saying their participation in the interaction was “voluntary”. Ms Irani stressed that September 5, the birth anniversary of former President the late S. Radhakrishnan, would continue to be celebrated as Teachers Day.
Irani said her ministry had sent a representation to all states about an essay competition under the title, Guru Utsav, in their language. “I don’t know how it all started. Those who are commenting either don’t know the facts or are doing it wilfully for political reasons,” she said.
Meanwhile, PMK on Monday termed it a discreet attempt to impose Sanskrit. While welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to interact with students, Ramadoss however opposed the day being called as Guru Utsav.
Vaiko also welcomed Modi’s initiative to interact with students, but said it was “strongly condemnable” that the HRD ministry had renamed Teacher’s Day as Guru Utsav. “The Central government should realise that national integration will be strengthened only if identities of various languages and cultures are promoted,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has taken strong exception to the opposition building up in TN against observing Teacher’s Day as Guru Utsav and said there was no justification to resist the move.
The saffron party does not see any threat from allies Dr Ramadoss (PMK founder) and firebrand speaker Vaiko (MDMK’s chief) for opposing the Guru Utsav as they are known for their leanings towards Tamil.
Lashing out at DMK chief M. Karunanidhi for “seeing a conspiracy” in conducting Guru Utsav, state BJP president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said the occasion was all about showing our respect to our teachers and not imposing Sanskrit.
Reacting to the controversy stoked by the Union HRD ministry’s decision to celebrate Teacher’s Day (Sept. 5) as “Guru Utsav”, the senior leader said even the suggestion to withdraw the name was not acceptable as guru means a teacher. “Mr Karunanidhi is not the only custodian of Tamil language or the Tamil society. People will not take him seriously if he continues to criticise each and every good gesture of the BJP government at the Centre,” Dr Tamilisai pointed out.
“A teacher is also a guru. Only in our country we have the quartet concept of maatha, pithaa, guru and theivam. This is a taraka mantra to venerate our mother first, father next, the two who lead us to guru and who in turn shows us the path for progress in life including make us realise god. So theivam or god occupies the fourth place,” she said.
“Both Mr Vaiko and Dr Ramadoss are known for their stand. We are not taking those opposing Guru Utsav seriously,” says M. Chakravarthy, state vice-president. There was nothing wrong in appreciating teachers who are our gurus, he added.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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