Srinagar: The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir government was using education as a “propaganda tool” by “forcing” students to attend a Tiranga rally organised by the RSS-affiliated ABVP, calling it unacceptable.
“The J&K Education Department, under the NC government, has made it mandatory for both private and public school children across Poonch to attend a rally organized by the ABVP, the RSS-affiliated student wing that normalises anti-Muslim bigotry. Using education as a propaganda tool by forcing students to attend ideological events is unacceptable,” PDP leader Iltija Mufti said in a post on X.
Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP president and former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J&K, was referring to a purported order by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) of Poonch, directing the heads of various schools to send 40-50 students and two teachers to the rally, which took place on Thursday.
Another PDP leader and MLA from Pulwama, Waheed Para, said J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah used to condemn such orders before the elections, but “this blatant transformation” under the current government stands as its only “so-called achievement” in the last 100 days.
“The J&K government’s order, with the education department’s endorsement of an ABVP rally, forcing students to participate, was condemned by Omar Abdullah before the elections. Yet now, this blatant transformation under the government stands as its only so-called ‘achievement’ in the last 100 days,” Para said on X.
He alleged that the Abdullah-led National Conference government had “abandoned every promise it made during the elections,” including the restoration of Article 370, the release of political prisoners, rationalisation of reservations, free electricity, free rations, the Youth Employment Act and the revocation of PSA and AFSPA.
“U-turns and betrayal continue,” the MLA from Pulwama added.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) also lashed out at the government for using education as a “propaganda tool” by “forcing” students to attend a Tiranga rally organized by ABVP, calling it an unfortunate act.
In a statement, JKSA said that the government order mandating both government and private schools to send students to a rally organized by the ABVP is deeply concerning and unacceptable.
“With the directive for students to join ABVP in the rally, it has become more of an ideological event rather than a Republic Day celebration. The government has no right to dictate which political or ideological events students should participate in,” JKSA said in a statement .
It said that education must remain neutral, free from coercion or external influence, and students must have the freedom to decide their participation in any political activity. “By imposing such mandates, the government is not only infringing upon the rights of students, but also encouraging political polarization within educational institutions. This move contradicts the essence of a democratic society, and it is essential that educational institutions are not used as tools for promoting any particular political agenda,” JKSA said.
It also asserted that the permission granted by the district administration of Poonch not only raises serious concerns about the misuse of authority but also highlights a troubling disregard for institutional impartiality. “Such actions set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of accountability within democratic institutions.”
JKSA said that it is not against the celebration of Republic Day, but “dictating students to join a rally affiliated with a particular political organization is unwarranted.”
JKSA called for the intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, urging him to clarify the government’s position on the issue and take immediate action to prevent the politicization of educational institutions.
The JKSA expressed concern that such actions not only undermine the autonomy of educational institutions but also violate the democratic rights of students to make their own political choices. They stressed that the government must prioritize the integrity of the education system, ensuring it remains a neutral space that fosters critical thinking and civic responsibility, rather than being used as a platform for promoting any political agenda.
