VASCO
Condemning the decision to send students from two higher secondary schools to visit a masjid and to participate in an event, activists of Hindu organisations claimed that the workshop did not have the approval from the ADEI or parents.
"We have seen photos of students of Keshav Smriti HSS at Dabolim and Government HSS at Baina taking part in an event at a Masjid and some female students were seen wearing a hijab. When we questioned the Keshav Smriti HSS, we were told that they had received an invite from the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIOOI) for this workshop,” VHP Secretary (Mormugao Taluka) Sanjiv Korgaonkar told reporters.
“How can the school send students without proper enquiry? This workshop is not in the curriculum and there were no guidelines from the education department or any approval from ADEI. Neither did the school take permission from parents, especially since the students are below 18 years," said Korgaonkar.
Korgaonkar claimed that when they interacted with students in question, it was revealed that some students who were unwilling to participate in the workshop but were forced to participate.
“We were told that there were some Muslim clerics who gave a presentation on the Muslim religion. This looks like some brainwashing tactics to influence young minds towards Islam, and we want to know why Hindu and Christian women were forced to wear hijab and enter the masjid,” said Korgaonkar.
VHP Matt Mandir President Shyam Nayak said there can be a workshop to create a friendly environment, but it should be theoretical.
"They could have shown the Masjid from outside and explained about the rituals carried out inside, instead of compelling the students to perform rituals as a part of the workshop. We demand that schools in the State should not participate in such workshops where students are made to perform rituals of other religions," said Nayak.
Murgao Hindu Samaj Member Kiran Naik said the SIOOI had its head office in Miramar and an invitation was sent to the schools from its Vasco branch.
"The education department must take this incident seriously and advise schools across Goa not to entertain such invitations," said Naik.
