Something similar to Islamic fatwa, the Sena-BJP-ruled BMC has sought to make it mandatory for the 150-odd missionary-run schools in the city to promote 'Hindutva traditions'. The municipal corporation's education committee are now going to write to the state education department seeking permission to enforce its widening list of demands.
This move has caused widespread anguish among both parents and the academic community, with experts pointing out that these diktats have no legal standing. The missionary schools have threatened to go to court if they are made to toe the parties' line.
On Tuesday, the saffron combine had proposed that these institutions allowing their students to wear their 'Indian-ness' in the form of bindis and bangles. A day later, it hardened its stance, with demands like more holidays for Ganpati and Diwali, a corporators' quota in these schools similar to that given to MLAs, a school notice board prominently displaying the names of corporators in the education committee, and all communication to the BMC to be written in Marathi.
They complain that, while reviewing proposals from BMC-aided schools, many missionary schools can be come across who have written to them in English. And many corporators observed that while these schools approach the BMC for aid, they do not adhere to Hindu traditions.
If these missionaries come here to impart education, they shouldn't adhere the Hindutva traditions as most of the students are Hindus. They shouldn't forbid girls from wearing bindis or bangles or even using mehendi.
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