New Delhi: A controversy has erupted in Vadodara, Gujarat, over an alleged directive granting special school timings for Muslim students during Ramadan. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has strongly opposed the move, staging protests and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the decision.
According to VHP members, the Vadodara Primary Education Committee has introduced modified school timings to accommodate Muslim students during the holy month. The Hindu nationalist group claims that such a directive is biased and has demanded similar concessions for Hindu students during Shravan and Navratri if the decision is not revoked.
VHP leaders have approached the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, urging it to cancel the directive. Gujarat VHP spokesperson Jitendra Rajput took to Facebook to express his opposition, stating, “On one hand, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s government is preparing to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and on the other hand, the Vadodara Education Committee is issuing special circulars for a particular religion.”
VHP has argued that such preferential treatment could be discriminatory against Hindu students and might create societal divisions. They have urged the education department to reconsider the decision and ensure equal opportunities for all students, regardless of religious background.
Additionally, VHP spokesperson Hitendra Rajput reiterated on social media that the Gujarat government must not indulge in religious appeasement, emphasizing that opposition to “minority appeasement” has been a core principle of their movement.
The controversy has sparked a broader debate on religious accommodations in educational institutions, with VHP warning of intensified protests if the decision is not reversed.
