A private school in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, cancelled its scheduled Eid celebration for students on Monday, March 24, after receiving threats from Hindutva groups.
As part of its Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, Auckland House School, a private English-medium institution, had instructed students to dress in a 'kurta-pajama' with a little cap and bring 'roti' rolls with 'paneer,’ 'sevaiyan,' and dry fruits on March 28, the last Friday before Eid.
Hindutva organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Samiti, were outraged, claiming that an attempt was "unfortunately" being undertaken to promote Islam in Himachal Pradesh.
The Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Samiti alleged that the directions violated the Constitution's secularism principle and vowed to "gherao" the school and take legal action if the decision was not reversed, Maktoob Media reports.
Following this backlash, the school withdrew its celebrations and stated, “The safety and well-being of our children is our highest priority.”
The school further said in a communication to the parents that the planned celebrations, which were aimed at students from Nursery to Class II, only intended to help students learn more about India’s cultural diversity, and they organise similar festivities for Holi, Diwali and Christmas.
“It was intended purely as a cultural learning experience, with no religious rituals, and participation was entirely voluntary,” they added.
“Certain individuals have posted false, misleading, and communally inflammatory messages regarding our institution on social media platforms,” the school said in a separate statement.
“Our aim is to foster empathy, understanding, and respect among children from all backgrounds,” they said.
They further condemned any attempts to “misrepresent these celebrations as religious propaganda. Such actions only serve to harm social harmony and misguide the public.”
