GFP demands withdrawal of ‘draconian’ circular
Special Correspondent
Panaji: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has directed all schools to obtain prior approval before allowing any external individual or organisation to conduct seminars, lectures or awareness programmes in their campus.
The circular follows reports from the special branch raising concerns over activities linked to the Student Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) in educational institutions.
“The schools must submit speaker’s details, scripts, maintain records, supervise sessions and report suspicious activities,” the circular said, warning that “non-compliance could invite disciplinary action”.
The circular states that the directorate acted on a communication from the North Goa district magistrate based on a report by the superintendent of police, special branch.
The report says SIO operates in various parts of the country, including Goa, and raises concerns over its ideological influence and activities perceived to be potentially anti-social and anti-national.
It further states that the organisation has been conducting programmes in educational institutions in Goa, necessitating vigilance to safeguard national security and communal harmony.
Alerting the schools against religious and political influence, the directorate has directed all government, aided and unaided schools to prevent outsiders from entering campuses and misleading students in the name of religion or politics.
Although no such incident has been reported so far, and the advisory was issued after some schools indicated to have political activity.
Meanwhile, Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the particular circular.
It called the issuance of the circular as “an attack on free speech and open education”.
“Making prior approval mandatory for every external speaker treats every expert, activist, and NGO as a suspect; this is censorship not regulation,” he added,
“If there are concerns about specific organisations, act against them not everyone else,” Sardesai maintained, demanding, “Withdraw this draconian circular; Goa’s students deserve better.”
