Mehbooba Mufti: Directing schools kids in Kashmir to sing Hindu hymn exposes Hindutva agenda of Centre

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on September 19 tweeted a video clip, in which students can be seen singing ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ at a government school, and accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of pushing the Hindutva agenda in the Union Territory.

In the video, teachers and students can be seen singing Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ in a government school in the Kashmir valley.

“Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid & directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real hindutva agenda of GOI in Kashmir. Refusing these rabid dictates invites PSA & UAPA. It is the cost that we are paying for this so called ‘Badalta J&K’, she wrote in the caption.

Watch the video here.

Ahead of the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the J&K administration directed government schools to organise month-long programmes, starting from September 5 (Teachers’ Day) till October 2, to celebrate the Jayanti of the father of the nation. During the programme, every government school in J&K will form a Gandhian club, sing Gandhian ideology-based songs, take out Shanti Yatra and organise ‘all faith prayers-Raghu Pati Raghav’. 

The PDP chief’s attack on the BJP came after the arrest of two prominent clerics in the valley.

Notably, several religious preachers, including members of the banned Jama’at e Islami, were detained recently under the Public Safety Act. The J&K administration has also not permitted Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to address Friday congregations at Jama Masjid in old Srinagar.