Nagpur: The prayer offered to goddess of knowledge, Saraswati Devi, is quite common at many schools or educational institutions, but hence forth the prayers would be offered to Savitribai Fule in all NMC schools. It is just to praise her for her social contribution to emancipation of women on educational front. A proposal to this was moved in the NMC’s annual general meeting on July 20 by corporator Prafull Gudadhe Patil (Cong) and it was unanimously accepted. Accordingly, Nagpur will be the first city to sing school-prayer on Savitribai Fule.
When Prafull Gudadhe Patil, defending the proposal of Savitribai Fule’s prayer in all NMC schools, was arguing vehemently, saying that Saraswati Devi had no contribution in the field of education yet she is worshipped, then why not Savitribai whose contribution to women’s education is significant.
Reacting sharply on Gudadhe Patil’s views, Ruling Party leader Dayashankar Tiwari and NCP leader corporator Raju Nagulwar jointly raised their objection, as, “Devi Saraswati, a Vedic goddess of wisdom, conventionally enjoys reverence from religious point of view in Indian culture. Such comparative remarks of Gudadhe Patil are uncalled for.” Intervening into argument to pacify, Leader of Opposition Vikas Thakre said that there was no objection to Saraswati pujan, rather Savitribai Fule pujan should also be continued.
