Right Wing government mandates Hindu religious texts in the engineering curriculum in India's Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Education Minister Mohan Yadav reads Ramacharitamanas. Photo: NDTV

According to the Department of Higher Education in the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh, the government will be mandating Hindu religious texts in the engineering colleges in the state.

The right-wing BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has decided to include Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Rama Chartiamanas in the engineering curriculum.

The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party is often criticized for its extreme stance on Hinduism which has been the cause of turmoils over the country.

The government officials involved in enforcing the religious texts in the technical curriculums claim that the texts will help them adapt theological epics such as Mahabharata into the contemporary world.

However, the critics say that the enforcement shows the blind extremity of the ultra-right government which is blinded by the faith and the goal of a Hindu nation. 

The curriculum also replaces the language subjects such as Hindi and English with Yoga and Meditation. 

According to the education department, the Ramayana and Rama-Charitamanas have been included as optional subjects. However, Mahabharata will be optional compulsory. 

Education Minister Mohan Yadav from the Bharatiya Janata Party says, "he feels no hesitation to be including the 'proud Indian history' in the curriculum."

Although the mythical texts, Ramayana and Mahabharata are regarded as an important history by the Hindu-nationalists in the subcontinent.

It is yet to be seen how the change will play out in the Muslims and other minorities of the country.

Publish : 2021-09-16 18:19:00

Give Your Comments