Amit Shah calls for brainstorming session with ministers to discuss education, cultural spheres

NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of the central government’s move to revamp several cultural institutions, BJP president Amit Shah has called a meeting of education and culture ministers of party-ruled states this weekend to discuss educational and cultural issues.

“This is a brainstorming session with BJP ministers to exchange notes about the best practices in education and cultural spheres undertaken in respective states,” BJP vice-president Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, who heads the good governance department of the party, told ET.

Party sources said representatives of RSS affiliates engaged in these sectors will participate in the two deliberations. HRD minister Smriti Irani, her junior minister RS Katheria, and culture minister Mahesh Sharma will also participate in the deliberations where the new education policy, which is under works, is likely to be high on the agenda.



On the cultural front, sources said, celebrating the centenary of Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth next year and proposed celebrations in the run up to Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in 2019 may come up for discussion. The meeting comes just a couple of days after the culture minister announced plans to overhaul 39 institutions, including the Gandhi Smriti and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, to “make them more purposeful”, a move that has been condemned by the Congress as “diabolic”.

The ongoing three-day RSS conclave in New Delhi had a special session on culture and educational sectors where RSS affiliates are believed to have highlighted their concerns and suggestions. Irani participated in the session, sources said.