Rajasthan: V-day to replace Matra Pita Pooja Diwas

The Congress government in Rajasthan has reversed the decision of the previous BJP government to celebrate 'Matra Pita Pooja Diwas' on February 14 instead of Valentine's Day.

Rajasthan Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra termed the order of the previous government to celebrate 'Matra Pitra Diwas' in schools as "drama".

"Every day is a 'matr-pitra puja diwas' for us, BJP has done lot of nautankis, not anymore", Dotasara tweeted.

"Parents and teachers hold the highest position in Indian culture and should always be worshipped everyday. Celebrating their importance for only one day is against our culture. Which is why our government has reversed the previous government's order," he said.

In 2018, the then BJP government in Rajasthan had followed the footsteps of the Chhattisgarh government, which had asked students to observe 'Matru Pitru Diwas' on Valentine's Day.

A note was sent by the Chhattisgarh Directorate of Public Education to principals and heads of all schools to observe the day.

Moreover, two years ago, the district collector in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara came out with an order to observe February 14 as 'Matra Pitra Pujya Diwas'.

This is not the first order that has been reversed by the Congress government.

After the Congress government came to power, the education department was asked to review textbooks and other reference materials that were revised by the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government.

The Congress government has in fact asked historians to prepare a report on the revision of textbooks.

Education Minister Dotasara had said that the role of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru will be restored in textbooks. Also, the colour of cycles distributed in government schools will be changed from Saffron to black.