<p class="title">The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday withdrew a circular that had recommended religious scriptures like Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita to be made available at all educational institutions hours after it evoked a controversy.</p>.<div class="socmaildefaultfont" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">“Circular issued by the education department regarding the introduction of some religious books stands withdrawn ab initio under the orders of the chief secretary,” Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a tweet on Tuesday. </div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">The order to introduce Urdu version of Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita in schools/colleges and public libraries had been issued after the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by advisor to Governor B B Vyas on October 4. In wake of the meeting, the administrative department of education had shot a letter to the directors of school education department in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions. </div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">“The school education department will consider purchasing a sufficient number of copies each of Urdu version of ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Koshur Ramayan’ authored by Shri Sarwanand Premi for making these available in schools/colleges and public libraries etc,” reads an official communiqué dated 22.10.2018 signed by the under-secretary school education department.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">The order triggered a storm on social media with former chief minister Omar Abdullah questioning why only selective religious books are to be placed in schools colleges and government libraries.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">“Why just the Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries (and I’m not convinced that they need/should be) then why is it being done selectively? Why are other religions being ignored (sic),” he tweeted.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">Earlier the education department had decided to introduce Vedic and Buddhist studies at the higher secondary level in the state. According to the 2011 Census, Muslims form around 68%m of the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Hindus are a little over 28%. Sikhs and Buddhists form 1.9% and 0.9% of the state's population respectively.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr"> </div></div>
<p class="title">The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday withdrew a circular that had recommended religious scriptures like Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita to be made available at all educational institutions hours after it evoked a controversy.</p>.<div class="socmaildefaultfont" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">“Circular issued by the education department regarding the introduction of some religious books stands withdrawn ab initio under the orders of the chief secretary,” Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a tweet on Tuesday. </div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">The order to introduce Urdu version of Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita in schools/colleges and public libraries had been issued after the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by advisor to Governor B B Vyas on October 4. In wake of the meeting, the administrative department of education had shot a letter to the directors of school education department in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions. </div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">“The school education department will consider purchasing a sufficient number of copies each of Urdu version of ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Koshur Ramayan’ authored by Shri Sarwanand Premi for making these available in schools/colleges and public libraries etc,” reads an official communiqué dated 22.10.2018 signed by the under-secretary school education department.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">The order triggered a storm on social media with former chief minister Omar Abdullah questioning why only selective religious books are to be placed in schools colleges and government libraries.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">“Why just the Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries (and I’m not convinced that they need/should be) then why is it being done selectively? Why are other religions being ignored (sic),” he tweeted.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">Earlier the education department had decided to introduce Vedic and Buddhist studies at the higher secondary level in the state. According to the 2011 Census, Muslims form around 68%m of the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Hindus are a little over 28%. Sikhs and Buddhists form 1.9% and 0.9% of the state's population respectively.</div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr"> </div></div>