Outrage Over 'Godse A Role Model' Competition At Gujarat School, Official Suspended

A school in Gujarat's Valsad district has sparked controversy after it organised an elocution competition for students depicting Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi as a role model. Following the incident, a probationary youth development officer was suspended.

According to an official, the matter came to light when local publications in the district reported that a girl student had won the elocution competition for talking on the subject -"My Role Model - Nathuram Godse (Maro Adarsh - Nathuram Godse)" at Kusum Vidyalaya.

Soon after the incident was brought to notice, Minister of State for Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, Harsh Saghavi, assured action and suspended Mitaben Gavli, a probationary class-2 District Youth Development Officer for the Valsad district.

Suspension Order Issued Within Hours

"I have ordered an inquiry. The government will take action against the officer," Sanghavi told reporters earlier in Gandhinagar, according to India Today. After his assurance, the suspension order was issued within hours.

The order stated that Gavli should have taken extra care in selecting the topics for the elocution competition, which the department's Valsad office organised on February 14 at the self-financed school. It was open for primary students from Class V to VIII between age group of 11-13 years from the entire district.

"In the district-level competition, school kids were given a choice of three subjects. One of the subjects provided was 'My Role Model - Nathuram Godse'. The suspension order stated that the other two topics were - 'I like only those birds who fly in the sky' and 'I will become a scientist but will not go to the US.'

As per the suspension letter, when the department asked the Valsad district Primary Education Officer, BD Bariaya, he informed that Ms Gavli had selected these subjects and written letters to primary schools, informing them about the upcoming elocution competition.

"On February 16, newspapers carried reports about selecting such controversial subject for the competition. It appears that you have not taken due care in selecting subjects despite being a responsible government official. Thus, in the interest of public and administrative interest, you are put under suspension with immediate effect," the letter said.

After the controversy flared up, the private school management clarified that they had only lent its premises for the event and not organised it.

"The Valsad district office selected not just the subject, even judges for the competition," said Archana Desai, administrator of Kusum Vidhyalaya.

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