Bengal: Adhikari plans to set up 1,000 Vidya Bharati schools
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced plans to set up at least 1,000 Vidya Bharati schools across the state in one year. Vidya Bharati is the educational wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The new schools will be established in every district, municipality, and panchayat.
Educational expansion
Vidya Bharati's role in nationalistic learning
Adhikari made the announcement at an event marking the 74th anniversary of Vidya Bharati at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture.
He urged Vidya Bharati to take responsibility for imparting "nationalistic learning" and invited its leaders to meet officials to take the initiative forward.
Currently, there are 313 Vidya Bharati schools in West Bengal, part of a national network of over 12,000 schools and 10,000 Bal Sanskar Kendras.
Policy critique
Adhikari slams TMC for 'polluting' educational institutions
Adhikari also criticized the previous Trinamool Congress government for "polluting" educational institutions.
He claimed that the syllabus was designed in a way that neglected lessons from figures like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Vivekananda.
The CM also suggested merging West Bengal's four education departments into one, with no separate administration for madrassa education.
Departmental vision
Adhikari calls for unified education department
Adhikari invoked Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee's slogan "One Nation, One Constitution, One Flag, One Leader" to call for a unified education department.
He opposed the current arrangement where Aliah University is managed by the minority affairs department while other universities come under higher education.
This was after he received a separate list of Muslim students from the minority affairs department after felicitating board toppers.