Preamble reciting made mandatory In Maharashtra schools starting January 26

Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on Tuesday said that from January 26 onwards it will be made compulsory for school students to read-out the preamble to the Constitution during their morning assemblies. Reading of the preamble is the part of the "sovereignty of constitution, welfare of all" campaign, a state government circular said.

Speaking to the media she said, "Students will recite the preamble to the Constitution so that they know its importance. It is an old GR. But we will implement it from January 26. Students will read out the preamble every day after morning prayers"

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Earlier today, Maharashtra Minister Subhash Desai said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)-led State government will make Marathi subject compulsory in all schools from Class 1 to Class 10. He further mentioned that the government will bring a bill in the next assembly session over this decision. This decision of the government comes after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the government was thinking of making Marathi compulsory in all schools till class 10.

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Government resolution

A government resolution (GR) about reading the preamble during school assemblies was issued in February 2013 when the Congress-NCP government was in power. As per the circular dated January 21, 2020, the old GR was not being implemented. The move to make students read out the preamble to Constitution comes at a time when largescale protests are being held against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Congress is one of the constituents in the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government along with the NCP. Many Congress leaders have said that the "unconstitutional" CAA will not be allowed in Maharashtra.

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(with inputs from agencies)

(Image: parliamentmuseum.org/)