Editorial: Danger of Distorted Narratives in Educational Institutions
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Shimla Mar 23 Ritanjali Hastir
In a world progressively moving toward inclusivity and understanding, it is disheartening to witness deliberate attempts to distort facts for communal polarization. The recent controversy surrounding a reputed school in Shimla is a textbook example of how misinformation is weaponized to serve divisive agendas.
This incident closely mirrors the Sanjauli mosque case, where an issue regarding an illegal structure was manipulated to appear as a religious controversy. Similarly, the attempt to misrepresent a school’s Eid celebration as an act of religious conversion is not just baseless but also intellectually dishonest.
The same institution has been enthusiastically celebrating Hindu festivals like Diwali and Holi without ever forcing participation. If hosting cultural events led to conversion, then by that logic, every child who took part in a Christmas play should have turned Christian, and every student who made a rangoli on Diwali should have embraced Hinduism. Clearly, this is not how faith or identity works.
What is truly concerning is how quickly such false narratives gain traction in the age of social media. A selectively framed WhatsApp message or Facebook post is enough to manufacture outrage. But as responsible citizens, we must ask: Are we truly offended by an inclusive celebration, or are we being manipulated by those who thrive on division?
Most of Shimla’s reputed schools have a Christian background, yet the Christian population remains a minority. If celebrating a festival led to religious conversion, shouldn’t the numbers reflect that? The fact that they don’t debunks the very foundation of this alarmist narrative.
Educational institutions are meant to foster unity and mutual respect, not become battlegrounds for communal politics. India’s secular ethos thrives on cultural diversity, and vilifying inclusivity only undermines our constitutional values.
It’s time to reject fear-mongering and embrace the truth: promoting inclusivity is an act of mutual respect, not religious conversion. Let’s not allow vested interests to dictate our perceptions. Instead, let’s stand for unity over division, facts over fiction, and harmony over hatred.
