Valentine's Day circular withdrawn by Maharashtra government

A circular issued by the Satara District Education Officer (Primary) asking all schools and colleges to celebrate Valentine's Day by getting all students to express love for their mothers, was withdrawn today after directives from the Mantralaya's Education Department.
Satara District Education Officer (Primary) Pravin Ahire told PTI that the circular was issued on February 11 after a directive by Satara Zilla Parishad President Manikrao Sonwalkar, who was informed by former Satara Zilla Parishad CEO Shyam Deshpande, about how he had started such a unique initiative in Jalna a few years ago.
"Since Valentine's Day is meant to express love, the idea was to express it to mothers. All educational institutions were directed to make students recite a well known Marathi poem dedicated to love for their mothers called Hambrun Vasar Aale Chaat-ti Jawa Gai," Ahire said.

However, the circular has now been withdrawn due to "technical" reasons, he said.
An Education Department official confirmed that the Satara district authorities were asked to withdraw the circular.
"The circular was issued before it received prior permission from the Maharashtra state education department. The circular was also not passed during the general body meeting," the official said.
The February 11 circular was sent to hundreds of public as well as private primary schools and around 25 colleges in Satara district, asking them to celebrate Valentine's Day "with a difference", by dedicating it to mothers of their students.