Kochi: The CBSE which brought many nationalist figures into the limelight in the last six months, however, seems to have forgotten Jawarharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister.
The miss is significant as this is his 125th birth anniversary, which falls on Friday. His birthday is traditionally celebrated as Children’s Day. He seems to have become the casualty in the political war between the Congress and the BJP in New Delhi.
In recent times, the CBSE celebrated the birthdays of first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BJP ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the first education minister Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and eminent scientist C.V. Raman with a lot of activities assigned to the children of schools affiliated to it. But its website does not have any mention of Jawaharlal Nehru or the Children’s Day now. The CBSE also has not sent any circular directly to the schools to celebrate Children’s Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself chose to directly address the students on Teachers’ Day live across the nation but has now made no reference to Children’s Day. The centre and the CBSE made it a point to even celebrate the Mars mission of ISRO by stipulating that schools should take their students to view its launch live.
The biggest celebration by the CBSE so far has been the National Unity Day on the occasion of Sardar Patel’s birthday when a unity pledge and unit run were taken out and competitions were held for students.
Now the CBSE has issued a circular to schools to conduct an expression series as part of Bal Swachchta Mission from November 14 to 19, but there is neither any mention of Children’s Day nor of Jawaharlal Nehru.
