Following criticism from a right-wing group, a private school in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, opted to call off its pre-Eid celebration. The event was originally scheduled for March 28, 2025, by the school to educate young pupils understand India’s cultural richness, much like how Holi, Diwali, and Christmas are celebrated. With no religious rites, the event was designed to be a cultural learning opportunity for students in kindergarten through second grade. It was voluntary to participate.
A local right-wing organisation called the Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Samiti, however, objected to the celebration and vowed to demonstrate outside the school. If the school did not call off the event, the group threatened to take legal action. This caused a social media uproar among locals and members of other faith communities.
The school made the decision to call off the event in order to protect the students and address the threats. The school stressed in a statement that student safety and wellbeing are of utmost importance. Additionally, in order to prevent any disruptions, the school requested that kids come in their usual uniforms.