Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar bars schools from ‘forcing’ Santa Claus costumes on students, warns of ‘strict legal action’
An order issued on December 22 by Sri Ganganagar Additional District Education Officer Ashok Wadhwa cautions private schools against the practice.
All private school principals and managers have been “directed by letter not to put unnecessary pressure or coercion on parents/children to create Santa Claus on Christmas”, the order warns. (Express Photo)
The education department of Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district has barred schools from “forcing” children to dress up as Santa Claus on Christmas Day, warning of strict legal action in case of complaints.
An order issued on December 22 by Sri Ganganagar Additional District Education Officer Ashok Wadhwa cautions private schools against the practice.
Advertisement
“Bharat Tibet Sahayog Manch has submitted a letter to the office of District Education Officer (Headquarters) Secondary Sri Ganganagar and requested that for the past few years, children are being made Santa Claus on Christmas Day in schools, whereas Sri Ganganagar district is a Sanatana (Hindu and Sikh) dominated area,” the order says.
It further said: “Christian families are almost non-existent here. In such a situation, organising such programmes in schools and putting unnecessary pressure on children is not always justified. If information is received about pressure on children to become Santa Claus on Christmas Day in any school, then the department will take action as per rules.”
All private school principals and managers have been “directed by letter not to put unnecessary pressure or coercion on parents/children to create Santa Claus on Christmas”, the order warns.
Advertisement
“If this office receives a complaint from any organisation/parent, the institution itself will be responsible for the above action,” the order said.
This comes days after the Sri Ganganagar police detained six people — including a German couple — for alleged religious conversion near India’s international border.
Texts and calls to the Sri Ganganagar administration yielded no response.
All private school principals and managers have been “directed by letter not to put unnecessary pressure or coercion on parents/children to create Santa Claus on Christmas”, the order warns. (Express Photo) 
Share
