MP govt wants teachers to be called `Rashtra Rishi`

Bhopal, Aug 30 (PTI) After the controversy over its
moves to make 'Surya Namaskar' exercise and recitation of
Bhojan Mantra compulsory in schools, Madhya Pradesh government
in central India has now raised hackles of minority community
leaders with a decision to call teachers in state-run schools
as 'Rashtra Rishis'.

The decision to address the teachers as 'Rashtra
Rishis' was taken by the State's Education Minister Archana
Chitnis recently and would be implemented from September 13
official sources said on Sunday.

However, the move has invited the wrath of minority
leaders who questionthe logic behind calling educational
professionals as 'Rishi', a term normally associated with holy
persons who have abandoned the world for spiritual path.

"Teachers or educationists cannot be equated with
rishis like Vishwamitra," Archbishop of Madhya Pradesh Leo
Cornelio said.

"At best teachers can be called as 'learned persons'
and not Rishis," he said adding "I failed to understand why
the government engages itself in doing all these funny things.
It is an insult to the spiritual person."

Criticising the decision, Chairman of All India Muslim
Teohar Committee Ausaf Shahmiri Khurram said it was not
acceptable to them.

"Why don't they call them Rashtra Moulvi," he said.
In a snub to the state government, the High Court
has directed it not to make 'Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
exercise in schools mandatory after a church body challenged
the move. MORE PTI