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Schools to be Closed on Christmas Day: Thanks to the Outcry
The CSF did its bit

Your prayers and support worked. The CSF initiated the campaign against having school on Christmas day. No sooner than The Times of India and the media for highlighted the issue, we received many calls / emails urging us to do something about it.

We swung into action, knowing fully well that at the most one can expect our leaders to do is issue press statements or get into the media; The CSF sent our memorandums to all concerned - The President, PM & HRD Minister downwards. We followed it up with calls to their offices stating in no unclear terms that it would be challenged in court, if need be.

As expected, a hue and cry was raised by a number others, including MPs in both houses, forcing the union minister, Smriti Irani to deny the charge in the first place. But The CSF had a copy of the circular and Times of India rightly nailed the minister as can be seen in the image below:

Here is how the Times of India reported on the campaign:
Catholic Forum miffed at Good Governance Day circular

The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), an NGO, has expressed shock over Union HRD ministry’s directive to schools to celebrate the birthdays of former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee and Hindu Mahasabha leader MM Malviya by observing December 25 as ’Good Governance Day’.
Joseph Dias, general secretary of CSF said India is a secular country and if no such activities are held on the religious holidays of any other faith, then Christians should not be discriminated against. In a letter written to UNION HRD Minister Smriti Irani, the forum took strong exception to this move and requested the minister’s intervention.

He observed that In Pune, an umbrella organization called the National Hindu Movement has targeted the New Year Celebrations, saying it is the first step to converting to Christianity and elsewhere in the country there are reconversion programmes being organized on Christmas day, which has hurt the sentiments of Indian Christians.

Such activities, more importantly, will shatter India’s image in the developed world, carefully built by PM Modi and take India down the path that countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, etc are going through,’’ he warned.

Regarding the minister’s clarification that the essay contest was only online and voluntary, Dias said it was only after the furore. The circular was clear,’’ he said.
- times of india

No Carols, Only Chant of Work for Babus

New Delhi, December 16, 2014: Modi Sarkar to celebrate Good Governance Day on Christmas... Children may have been spared the need to compulsorily attend school on Christmas day, but bureaucrats may not be as lucky. The government is readying a plan to celebrate December 25 as `Good Governance Day’, possibly spoiling the holiday plans of many who had been looking forward to a five-day weekend, according to news report written by Aman Sharma in The Economic Times today.

Minister of state for personnel and in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Jitendra Singh, told ET on Monday that a plan is being finalised for activities for bureaucrats on December 25. “We are in the process of finalising a plan for government officials for that day, “Singh said, effectively indicating that officials, especially senior ones, could end up having to attend office on what is a gazetted holiday.

Government sources also separately t the Depart confirmed that the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG), under the ministry of personnel, was framing a plan for various activities to be carried out by bureaucrats on December 25. The plan is being worked out in consultation with the cabinet secretariat and PMO, these sources added.

- economic times

Times is not the one who is `misleading’

How Can Declamation Contest Be Held Online?

Referring to a TOI report that drew attention to a circular issued by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti to its schools urging them to conduct certain activities on December 25, thus raising questions as to whether December 25 would be a holiday for Christmas, the Union HRD minister Smriti Irani denied on Monday that schools have been asked to stay open. The minister focused on only one of the activities listed by HRD ministry for CBSE schools -an essay competition -and said the competition would be online and participation in it was voluntary .

Irani tweeted that “all schools closed for Xmas, essay competition only online“. She also said that the TOI report was deliberately misleading. The TOI report did not say, as the minister is claiming, that schools have been told to remain open on December 25. It reported that, as part of the birthdaybirth anniversary celebrations of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya on that day , HRD ministry wants schools to observe the day as `Good Governance Day’ and has set down specific activities for the children in 589 Navodaya Vidyalaya across the country.

According to a circular sent out on December 10 - which is in TOI’s possession and is being carried along with this report, and which clearly establishes in the letterhead that the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti is under the HRD ministry - NVS commissioner G S Bothyal has listed the following activities for Navodaya Vidyalayas: Declamation contest on topics related to good governance Quiz competition Screening of documentaries and films on best practices in good governance. Organization of various activities through child cabinets in the schools Innovative programmes pertaining to problem solving relating to day-to-day functioning of the school.

As declamation contests, quiz competitions, film screenings or “activities through child cabinets in the school“ are not possible without students coming to school, TOI concluded that Navodaya schoolchildren would not have their customary December 25 Christmas holiday.

(The Chambers Dictionary defines `declamation’ as “a rhetorical speech“, “a set speech in public“ “display in speaking in public“. All of this requires physical presence; it cannot be done online.) TOI stands by its report.

- times of india

Earlier news:

The CSF Protests & will Challenge - Govt wanting Christian students to work on Christmas

Let’s not keep silent: Join The CSF Campaign Against Re-conversions, Attacks on New Year Celebrations & Freedom of Religion

Urgently Email Support with Contact Info: csfpost@gmail.com

Nagpur, December 15, 2014: If the Union government has its way, CBSE schools may have to remain open on this Christmas.

The Union human resource development ministry wants to celebrate the birthdays of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malviya by observing ’good governance day’ on December 25. The BJP government wants CBSE to carry out various activities, like an essay competition, so that students’ participation increases.

Although CBSE has not communicated this to its affiliated schools yet, the Union government-run Navodaya Vidyalays have issued a circular to their schools. The Navodaya schools operate in rural areas on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas, and are affiliated to CBSE. The Navodaya circular says CBSE will be organizing an essay competition on December 24 and 25, the topics for which will be declared on December 23.

- times of india

Pune: This new year’s eve, go saffron, or stay home

Pune, December 14, 2014: Valentine’s Day is usually the saffron brigade’s favourite time to flex their muscles, but with the new dispensation across the country and their increased power, they evidently couldn’t wait till February. Several city-based counterparts of the right-wing brigade have decided to play party poopers this new year’s eve. Claiming that celebrating December 31 is the first step to converting to Christianity, members of right-wing organisations have decided to start a campaign against new year’s eve parties in the city.

On Saturday, members of right wing organisations, under the umbrella of the National Hindu Movement, held a dharna at Good Luck Chowk on Fergusson College Road, protesting against such parties.

Parag Gokhale of the National Hindu Movement told Mirror, "We are observing that the youth is blindly following Christian rituals and celebrating on December 31. This is how conversion to Christianity starts, which we strongly oppose. We are against Hindus being converted and we demand that the government bring about an anti-conversion law to prevent forceful conversion."

Making their agenda clear, the National Hindu Movement has decided to start a campaign in schools and colleges where their members will be asking students to stay away from December 31 celebrations. "We have observed so many malpractices occurring on December 31 and we want the youth to keep away from such bad habits. We are going to put up banners opposing these celebrations. At the same time, we will go to schools and colleges and educate students about the Hindu new year," Gokhale added.

However, socialist leaders and liberal Puneites have slammed the movement, deeming it undemocratic. Senior socialist leader Dr Kumar Saptarshi said, "These right wing outfits think people have voted in favour of Hindutva. The reality is that people voted against the Congress. These outfits are all connected with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh."

"But associating themselves with such demonstrations, these outfits want to divide the society and damage the constitutional foundation of our country. They will never succeed," Saptarshi added.

STUDENTS TOO STRONGLY OPPOSED THE MOVEMENT

Sandip Kulkarni,an MBA student, said, "I party on December 31, and this certainly does not mean I do not follow my religion. I also celebrate Diwali and other festivals with the same enthusiasm. It is this narrow-minded approach of some people that is disturbing the social balance of the country."

Shweta Kumari, a resident of Hadapsar, and an Arts student, said, "India is a democratic country and everyone should have the freedom to celebrate any way they choose. I have friends from all religions and we never discriminate."

- pune mirror