Keep education institutions aloof from political maneuvering: Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Jan 14: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Friday took exception to a recent government order directing academic institutions to organise virtual programmes for ‘Surya Namaskar’ on the eve of Makar Sankranti.

A statement of the Apni Party issued here quoted Bukhari as saying that the educational institutions should be kept aloof from political maneuvering and emphasis should be laid on providing quality education to the students.

“Celebrating festivals is an individual choice and the state has no right to interfere in it. However, this recent edict for observing Surya Namaskar in colleges across J&K is undoubtedly a dangerous enterprise that carries serious implications. The administration must stop communalising the academic atmosphere and rather focus on the upgradation of these educational facilities,” he said.

Bukhari said that the constitution of India allows every person to follow his or her own religious and spiritual beliefs and the government was not mandated under the law to superimpose beliefs of any ruling party on the citizens, especially the students.

“It is my request to the government to stress more on initiating developmental works in J&K and curb the looming menace of COVID-19 third wave rather than pretending to be clergy while determining what the people should believe in that too in schools and colleges,” he said.