Centre wants to create patriotic mood on Independence Day; Mamata says no

States were asked to create a 'patriotic mood' to realise PM Modi's 'New India' vision

Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to states to organise events in schools towards creating a “patriotic mood” and a “mass fervour” to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘New India’ vision.

However, West Bengal had instructed its schools to desist from following the Centre’s circular, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar said, terming the decision of the Trinamool Congress government “unfortunate”.

Javadekar told reporters, the instructions, such as administering of the prime minister's Sankalp Siddhi oath or commemorating the martyrs of freedom struggle or “various wars/terrorist actions”, are not binding on the schools and were