Jaipur, Jan 29 (IANS): The BJP government in Rajasthan is planning to celebrate Valentine's Day (February 14) as 'Matra Pitra Poojan Diwas'.

State Education Minister Madan Dilawar held a meeting on Sunday with the administrative officials to celebrate the 'Mother-Father Puja Day' in government and private schools of the state. Matra Pitra Puja Day will be included in the calendar of the new academic session, he said.

Speaking to the media, Dilawar said, “It is true that Valentine's Day did not originate in our country. The way it is celebrated in the country is also not right. Devnani ji (Vasudev Devnani) is currently the Speaker of the Assembly, when he was the Education Minister, he had thought of starting matra pitra poojan in schools on this day. Now we will study it. Although this time there is less time, we will work on it next year.

"Parents must be worshipped. They are the ones who has brought us into the universe,” he added.

The previous Vasundhara Raje government had issued official orders in April 2018 to celebrate matra pita Puja Day in every school on February 14, but it was thereafter changed soon after the formation of Congress government in 2018. The then Congress government did not implement this order.

Now Dilawar is preparing to implement the old order afresh.

The minister, meanwhile, also said in a meeting in Kota that bulldozers will be used on the properties of teachers and officials who misbehave. The work of identifying teachers and officers who misbehave has started.

Regarding making 'Surya Namaskar' mandatory in the schools of the state, Dilawar said, "Sun God removes darkness, cures all types of diseases. For this reason, it has been decided to make Surya Namaskar mandatory in schools."