J-K Education Minister hits back at army chief

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], Jan. 13 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Altaf Bukhari on Saturday hit back at army chief General Bipin Rawat for hinting that students in the valley were being radicalised in the schools.

"The army chief is a respected officer. I do not think he is an educationist that he will give sermons on education. This being a subject on state list, we know how to run our education system," said Bukhari.

The minister also defended the presence of two maps in the classroom.

"There are two flags in the state. We have Jammu and Kashmir constitution and India's constitution as well. Every school has a state map as it is needed to teach about the state," Bukhari added.

General Rawat, while addressing the media, said the schools in Jammu and Kashmir were teaching students with two maps - one of India and another of the state.

"In the schools in Jammu and Kashmir, what teachers are teaching should not be taught. In schools, there can be seen two maps, one of India another of Jammu and Kashmir. Why do we need a separate map for the state? What does it teach the children?" General Rawat said in the press conference held in New Delhi. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI