Saraswati Puja has been scrapped from the Holiday schedule for January 2018 by Primary School Board of West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district.
An illustration of Holiday schedule from Uttar Dinajpur primary school board signed by chairman Muhammad Zahid Alam Arzu & secretary Aminul Ahsan has created a furore in social media as it excludes 22nd January 2018 (Monday), date of Saraswati Puja this year.
According to the 2011 census, Uttar Dinajpur district has 49.92% Hindu & 49.31% Muslim population. Primary School Board headed by two Muslims has decided not to welcome goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning – Saraswati Devi – this year.
Last year, Tehatta High School under Howrah district of West Bengal had to discontinue Saraswati Puja as Islamist radicals insisted the school first celebrate ‘Vishwa Nabi Diwas’ (birthday of Islam’s prophet Muhammad). When students and residents of the area took out a protest march carrying a 3-ft tall murti of Goddess Saraswati, it was attacked and police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
-By Ratri Bose (@ratribose)
Just in: After the social media backlash, it appears the school board has now included Saraswati Puja in their Holiday schedule.
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