Tripura Opposition slams NGO-led cow seminars in schools, calls it ‘RSS influence’
Opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury criticises the government's decision to allow an 'little-known' NGO to hold the seminars
State Education Office Siksha Bhavan, Tripura (Photo: School Education Department, Tripura / Facebook)
Agartala, May 6: Tripura’s political landscape has heated up after the Education Department permitted a little-known NGO to conduct seminars in schools on the “benefits of cows and their products”.
Leader of Opposition and senior CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury has voiced strong objections, calling the initiative an “RSS ploy to indoctrinate students”.
A letter dated April 15, 2025, from the Director of Secondary Education, NC Sharma, was issued to District Education Officers across all eight districts.
The letter states that the NGO — Deshi Gobansha Rakshan Sambardhan Samity — expressed its intent to organise workshops in high and higher secondary schools “to promote awareness and disseminate knowledge about the benefits of cows and their products”.
The department advised that such workshops may be considered by the School Management Committees (SMCs) if deemed appropriate, highlighting that participation is voluntary and must not disrupt regular teaching activities.
However, Chaudhury sharply criticised the move. “I am astonished that when our schools are suffering from a severe shortage of teachers and the recent TBSE results show deep-rooted issues, the department is instead focusing on promoting cow-related awareness through obscure NGOs,” he said.
Chaudhury accused the NGO of being a front for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that the seminars were an attempt to influence young minds during their formative educational years.
“Nobody had heard of this NGO before. Suddenly, it emerges and gets permission to run seminars. It is clear the RSS is orchestrating this,” he claimed.
The letter from the Education Department, however, underscores that no financial aid would be provided for these seminars, and they must not interfere with the normal school schedule.
“The SMCs shall be solely responsible for evaluating the relevance and feasibility of such programmes… It must be ensured that these programmes, if allowed, are conducted without causing any disruption to the normal teaching-learning process,” the letter read.
The controversy unfolds amid growing concerns over the decline in board exam candidates and academic performance in the state.