The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau demands accountability of the HRD Minister Smriti Irani and strongly condemns the Modi Government’s untruthful statements regarding the circular issued by her Ministry on December 9 addressed not only to the Navodaya schools but also the Kendriya Vidyalaya schools.
Contrary to what she has stated that “only a voluntary online essay competition which did not require students to go to school” the circular issued by her Ministry not only asked schools to “ensure active participation of students” for activities ranging from declamation contests, to child cabinets, to documentary screenings, but also to provide the Ministry with compliance reports.
In fact the response from the KVS that it was not possible as schools would be closed has further exposed the actions of the Minister.
Thus the Minister has willfully tried to conceal the facts. This is an addition to the wholly unconstitutional effort to push a divisive agenda on a day which is a holiday celebrated by the Christian community as a holy day.
The Prime Minister should inform the nation through Parliament what action he intends to take against the Minister.