In a groundbreaking move, an RSS affiliate Sewa Bharati has initiated an unprecedented educational venture in Kashmir. Under the Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan project, Sewa Bharati has successfully established and operates 1,250 schools in the Valley, where over 95% of the population is Muslim. This initiative aims to instill the values of ‘Bharatiyata‘ and ‘Kashmiriyat’ among Kashmiri Muslim children.
These 1,250 Ekal Vidyalayas, part of an informal school education system, are spread across 10 districts in the Kashmir valley, including 180 schools in Kashmir’s Baramulla district, which has witnessed numerous terror attacks. According to data provided by the organization, there has been a staggering 53% increase in the number of Ekal Vidyalayas since 2022, rising from 800 to 1,250 in just two years.
The schools primarily cater to Muslim students, particularly girls, and are managed by Muslim teachers and project in-charges known as Aviyan Pramukhs. Each school is supervised by a village committee comprising five to six members, some of whom are local representatives of panchayats. The primary objective of these schools is to impart the true values of “Kashmiriyat,” “desh prem,” and the responsibilities of being a “Hindustani,” while also protecting children from being influenced by stone-pelters.
Amir Mirza, a senior associate with the project, emphasizes the importance of this initiative in preventing children from being drawn into violence or drug addiction. He notes that over the past five years, no student from Ekal Vidyalayas in Baramulla district has dropped out or joined stone-pelters for monetary gains, highlighting their commitment to being proud Hindustani Muslims.
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Despite facing threats and challenges, individuals like Amir Mirza have remained steadfast in their dedication to this project, receiving support from local communities. The younger generation of Kashmiris actively participates in running these schools, considering it their endeavor to preserve Kashmiriyat.
While senior members of state committees refrain from attributing the increase in school numbers to the abrogation of Article 370, they acknowledge a shift in societal attitudes towards national integration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu-Kashmir event received significant public support, indicating a changing outlook within Kashmiri society.
The Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan follows a four-tier structure to manage schools, with positions such as Anchal Abhiyan Pramukh, Prashikshan Pramukh, Mulyankan Pramukh, and Jagaran Pramukh. These positions are held by Kashmiri Muslims who volunteer to uphold Kashmiriyat.
Moreover, a significant majority of teachers in these schools are women, reflecting efforts to empower women through education. The schools follow the syllabus of the general education system in Jammu and Kashmir, with a focus on nationalist ideals and a specialized subject on Kashmiriyat.
The students actively participate in national celebrations such as Independence Day and Republic Day, fostering a sense of unity and patriotism.
According to the last published annual report of 2021-22 by the Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan, the organization ran schools in 480 villages in the Kashmir valley, with some villages hosting multiple schools. In the same period, the organization received domestic donations amounting to Rs 129 crore and Rs 44 crore from international donors.
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The report emphasizes the organization’s commitment to secularism and cultural heritage, acknowledging and respecting all religious faiths. The fact that Ekal Vidyalayas operate in villages exclusively inhabited by Muslims in Kashmir, as well as in predominantly Muslim or Christian villages in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is a testament to their genuine secular ethos.
During a recent meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of the RSS, senior functionary Manmohan Vaidya highlighted the growing affinity of minorities towards the organization.
