Gujarat official suspended after conducting school elocution contest on ‘My ideal Nathuram Godse’

A self-financed school, Kusum Vidyalaya organised the event as part of the district level Bal Pratibha Shodh Spardha (Child talent search competition) under the youth service and cultural activities department of the Gujarat government.

A Gujarat government official (youth development officer) Neetaben Gavli received a suspension notice along with a departmental inquiry after several government and private schools in Valsad district conducted an elocution competition on the topic ‘Maro adarsh Nathuram Godse (My ideal, Nathuram Godse)’ for students.  Godse was executed in 1949 for assassinating Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Students of Class 5 to 8 participated in the elocution competition, for which prizes were also given away.

A self-financed school, Kusum Vidyalaya organised the event as part of the district level Bal Pratibha Shodh Spardha (Child talent search competition) under the youth service and cultural activities department of the Gujarat government. However, the school authorities said they had only lent their premises for hosting the event, and nobody from the school participated in it.

The event witnessed the participation of students from 25 different government and private schools in the district, across categories such as elocution, Doha Chhand sopai, folk music, folklore, essay writing, character roles, choral music, bhajans, folk dance and crafts, etc. The prize distribution ceremony was held on the same day.

While the news of the contest went viral on social media, District Education officer B D Baraiya claimed that the office was not aware of the competition as it was planned and implemented by the district Yuva Vikas office.

Valsad district collector Kshipra Agre told The Indian Express, “We have suspended the officer concerned, Neetaben Gavli, with immediate effect. Senior officials of the Cultural department in Gandhinagar have initiated an inquiry into the incident.”

Read More: