Patriotism not politics behind asking universities to observe ‘Surgical Strike Day’: Prakash Javadekar

The UGC on Thursday directed universities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as ‘Surgical Strike Day’.

Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar said Friday that the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) communication asking varsities to celebrate anniversary of surgical strikes was not mandatory and they were not politicising surgical strikes.

“I must denounce the Congress charge that we are politicising surgical strikes. We are not politicising. No, we are telling the students how the armed forces defended our country. How they conducted the surgical strike. This is to inspire students,” he said.

He added that it was not mandatory and merely an advisory.

“Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism,” he said.

He added that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes, which the Army had carried across the border in PoK on September 29 in 2016, should be commemorated.

Colleges have been asked to organise parades by National Cadet Corps and lectures by ex-army officers. Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.

UGC had Thursday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as “Surgical strike day”.