Elocution competition for kids on Nathuram Godse held in Gujarat, one suspended

The principal said that her school was in no way responsible for any of the competitions, including the one on Godse

Hours after reports sufraced of an elocution competition for students of class 5 to 8 on the topic of "Nathuram Godse My Idol" being held in a school in Valsad district in south Gujarat, the local authority on Wednesday suspended district youth development officer.

The subject of the "competition" has attracted widespread criticism with including Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, opining on Twitter that "In New India Murderers are heroes." There have been several incidents in the state, including in Surat and Jamnagar, where people worshipped Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948 in Delhi.

Read | Godse's ideology becoming dominant: Tushar Gandhi

"The department has suspended district youth development officer Mitaben Gavli who was responsible for holding the event. We are also inquiring into the role of other officials," Valsad district collector Kshipra Agre told DH. Earlier, minister of state for home, Harsh Sanghvi also told reporters in Gandhinagar that "inquiry has been initiated and everyone responsible will be suspended."

On February 14, the Valsad district youth development office had organised an event at a private school, Kusum Vidyalay. In a press, the school issued, stated over 25 schools had participated in the "district child talent search competition" where different competitions were organised. Among them was an elocution competiton on "Nathuram Godse My Idol." The organisers also awarded the students who were judged best.

School principal Archana Desai told reporters that "entire event was organised by local government officials and her school lent its premises for the event". She said that her school was in no way responsible for any of the competitions, including the one on Godse.

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