Bhubaneswar: Even as the State government has left no stone unturned to make the State level Children's Day celebration a success, parents in several areas of the State rued government's move to set two political topics for debate among students which they termed 'politicisation’ of Children's Day.
The School and Mass Education department’s topics for debate competition that include 'Our Government, Our Development (Ama Sarkar, Ama Bikash) and 'Best Administrator Award to CM Naveen’, have drawn flak from guardians.
"The children should be left with education only. They (government) are doing only politics by including these political subjects for debate competition. It will have a bad impact on the minds of students," Seikh Pir Box, a guardian said.
"Some scientific topics should be included instead of political ones. Subjects based on wild animals or environment would also be quite good for the kids," said Jyotirmayee Panda, another guardian.
Apart from this, the government has made all arrangements to broadcast Children's Day address of CM Naveen Patnaik to school kids across the State on lines of PM Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' programme. The CM's speech will be telecast on television and social media from 11 am to 12 noon on November 14. School and Mass Education department has directed all schools to arrange TV sets. Two days before the programme, the office of Chief Minister (CMO) has invited all school students to listen to the CM on TV. In a tweet, the CMO invited them all with a slogan ' Ame Padhibu..Gadhibu, Srestha Hebu (We will learn, build and become the best)’.
The Capital High School campus in Bhubaneswar is being decorated accordingly for the mega event. The preparation is going on under the direct supervision of the School and Mass Education, PWD, Urban Development departments, BDA and BMC authorities.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties denounced the government's Children’s Day plans terming it as political tactics. "It is unfortunate that Naveen has made himself a subject for debate competition among children when the State has numerous great personalities. His Children's Day speech telecast in Modi's ‘Mann Ki Baat’ style would yield no fruits," BJP State secretary Lekhasri Samantsinghar said.
Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik said the program is only meant for their campaigning. "Modi at the Centre and Naveen in State are engaged in publicity stunt," he added.