<p>Chandigarh: After announcing to introduce chapters from the Gita in school curriculum, the BJP government in Haryana wants to stop the practice of wearing gowns during school and college convocations.<br /> <br />A Haryana minister has openly denounced the long-standing culture of wearing gowns to such functions, saying the “gown-culture” was a practice that was inherited from the British, and that it needed to be terminated.</p>.<p>On Thursday, former President APJ Abdul Kalam echoed similar views in Kurukshetra, urging educational institutions to give up the practice of wearing gowns and coats, and instead wear the more Indian “angavastra”. <br /><br />Institutions in quandary<br /><br />The growing opposition to gowns in Haryana, especially from the saffron brigade, has left educational institutes in a dilemma, given that annual convocation events often require VIPs or ministers as chief guests who may or may not appreciate students in gowns. <br /><br />A miffed Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij last week put off his scheduled engagement at a college in Ambala after learning that the programme involved giving away degrees to students dressed in gowns, said sources.<br /><br />Former president Kalam was the chief guest at the annual convocation of the National Institute of Technology in Kurukshetra on Thursday. <br /><br />While he did not make a fuss about the “dress code”, he said, “We are wearing this beautiful coat. I told your director that the British introduced this coat. We must have a coat of our own, our own uniform. Next time, introduce something unique that should be a beautiful ‘angavastra’.” <br /></p>
<p>Chandigarh: After announcing to introduce chapters from the Gita in school curriculum, the BJP government in Haryana wants to stop the practice of wearing gowns during school and college convocations.<br /> <br />A Haryana minister has openly denounced the long-standing culture of wearing gowns to such functions, saying the “gown-culture” was a practice that was inherited from the British, and that it needed to be terminated.</p>.<p>On Thursday, former President APJ Abdul Kalam echoed similar views in Kurukshetra, urging educational institutions to give up the practice of wearing gowns and coats, and instead wear the more Indian “angavastra”. <br /><br />Institutions in quandary<br /><br />The growing opposition to gowns in Haryana, especially from the saffron brigade, has left educational institutes in a dilemma, given that annual convocation events often require VIPs or ministers as chief guests who may or may not appreciate students in gowns. <br /><br />A miffed Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij last week put off his scheduled engagement at a college in Ambala after learning that the programme involved giving away degrees to students dressed in gowns, said sources.<br /><br />Former president Kalam was the chief guest at the annual convocation of the National Institute of Technology in Kurukshetra on Thursday. <br /><br />While he did not make a fuss about the “dress code”, he said, “We are wearing this beautiful coat. I told your director that the British introduced this coat. We must have a coat of our own, our own uniform. Next time, introduce something unique that should be a beautiful ‘angavastra’.” <br /></p>
