PDP slams J-K govt for ‘forcing’ students to attend Tiranga rally

SRINAGAR: The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir government was using education as a “propaganda tool” by “forcing” students to attend a Tiranga rally organised by the RSS-affiliated ABVP, calling it unacceptable.

“The J&K Education Department, under the NC government, has made it mandatory for both private and public school children across Poonch to attend a rally organized by the ABVP, the RSS-affiliated student wing that normalises anti-Muslim bigotry. Using education as a propaganda tool by forcing students to attend ideological events is unacceptable,” PDP leader Iltija Mufti said in a post on X.

Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP president and former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K, was referring to a purported order by the chief education officer of Poonch, directing the heads of various schools to send 40-50 students and two teachers to the rally, which took place on Thursday.