The now-derailed attempt by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), which comes under the human resources development ministry, to conduct various events to mark December 25 as “Good Governance Day” has yet again made the NDA government vulnerable to allegations of saffronisation. The government’s plan to commemorate the birthdays of former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee and Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malviya, both incidentally falling on December 25, as “Good Governance Day” is acceptable. But to direct schools to function on December 25 has far-reaching implications in the current socio-political context. Christmas has been observed across the country as a holiday for decades now by most schools, even non-Christian private managements and government-owned ones. The needless controversy has come at a time when Sangh Parivar delegations have been meeting HRD minister Smriti Irani, pressing for changes in the education sector. Far worse, it coincides with a polarisation overdrive by Parivar outfits which have launched “reconversion and ghar wapsi” programmes targeting Muslims and Christians, with a showpiece event slated for December 25 at Aligarh.
Irani took to Twitter slamming the media reports for “deliberate mischief”, claiming that “all schools” will remain closed for Christmas, and that the essay writing contest was voluntary and only online. However, the circular signed off by Navodaya commissioner GS Bothyal on December 10 diverges from her denial on several points. While Irani talks of just an essay competition, the NVS has decided to organise declamation contests on topics related to good governance, quick competitions, screening of documentaries and films on best practices in good governance, and “innovative programmes pertaining to problem-solving relating to day-to-day functioning of the school”, whatever that means. The circular directs authorities to “encourage the participation of students” in the essay contest, which will be available both online and offline, and the submission of a consolidated report by email along with photographs and video recordings by December 25 itself. If all schools were to remain closed, the contents of this circular and the demand for visual evidence clearly contradict Irani’s tweets. An HRD official has now clarified that the essay contest is completely voluntary and online, and no schools, including Navodaya Vidyalayas, have to remain open.
The government’s enthusiasm for peddling its political agenda on public holidays and other important days must be used sparingly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interventions on Teacher’s Day (September 5) was understandable in the context of an incoming PM’s first interaction with children on a nationwide scale. Even the Swachh Bharat initiatives needed a symbolic day like October 2 to get off the block. However, this attempt to celebrate December 25 as “good governance” day does not have a similar natural, or symbolic, association. In fact, it appears rather forced. Vajpayee or Malviya could have been honoured on other dates which have special resonance in their eventful lives. Rather than inconvenience, and interrupt, children during a prized vacation, Irani, who is yet to announce any significant policy decisions at the HRD ministry, would do better to focus on good governance. To give Irani the benefit of doubt it can be argued that the faux pas was the handiwork of an overzealous official. However, the latest incident adds to a string of bunglings. Her mishandling of the four-year undergraduate programme at the Delhi University, allegations of undermining UGC’s autonomy, appointment of RSS supporters to key positions, and the untimely decision to scrap German has marked her out in the Modi cabinet. The latest attempt, if meant to curry favour with hardliners, is yet another poorly-timed gimmick.