Saraswati Puja celebrations halted in Tripura school under pretext of 'secularism', with committee comprising majority non-Hindus
Unakoti, Tripura, India 
22 January, 2026
Case Summary
In the Kumarghat subdivision located in the Unakoti district of Tripura, Saraswati Puja celebrations were halted in a school that had a history of celebrating the festival every year. But this year (2026), the school issued a holiday and stopped the tradition of celebrating it. This caused hurt and tensions among Hindu students who said the Puja was not observed due to the School Management Committee comprising a majority of non-Hindu members. This incident is from Nalakata High School in Pecharthal, under the Kumarghat subdivision. The school remained closed on the day of the festival on 23 January 2026. According to Hindu students and locals, many pupils, along with their parents, reached the school gate in the morning only to find it locked, leading to widespread disappointment and anger. Saraswati Puja, traditionally observed in this school for years, held deep cultural significance for students, especially those belonging to the Hindu community. Reports confirmed that no initiative was taken by the School Management Committee (SMC) or the teaching staff to organise the Puja. Hindu students stated that a majority of the SMC members belong to Christian, Chakma (Theravada Buddhist), and Muslim communities, and instead of making alternative arrangements or discussions, the school was closed for the day of Saraswati Puja. Local residents and guardians accused both the school administration and the SMC of negligence, stating that due to inaction, students were deprived of participating in an important cultural event. They also demanded appropriate action against the concerned teachers and the School Management Committee. Leaders of the local BJP unit also expressed dissatisfaction, questioning the relevance of such school management committees if they fail to understand or perform their responsibilities. They emphasised that the School Management Committee plays a crucial role in the overall development and harmony of an educational institution, and such lapses undermine public trust. However, a contrasting view emerged from non-Hindu students, who defended the school’s decision. They claimed that the institution had acted in accordance with constitutional values. “We are a secular, socialist, democratic republic with rich cultural and spiritual diversity. Religious festivals should be avoided in educational institutions. We congratulate the school administration for upholding constitutional values and reinforcing faith in public institutions in Tripura,” they said. On the other hand, Hindu students and their guardians expressed strong disappointment, pointing out that this was the first time Saraswati Puja was not held at the school. They demanded that a guardian meeting be convened immediately to ascertain the reasons behind the decision and to prevent such situations in the future.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the “Undecided” database, as the available information does not conclusively indicate a religious motive behind the school administration’s act of halting Saraswati Puja celebrations and issuing a holiday on that day. While it is important to state that there has always been a historic precedent of Hindu festivals being halted, restricted, or stopped in many places out of religious animosity, the Hinduphobia Tracker has recorded multiple such incidents. Many times this happens under the garb of 'secularism', motivated by religious animosity towards Hindu expressions of faith in public spaces. However, in this particular case, it is hard to establish a religious motivation behind the act. While suspicions exist that it might stem from religious animosity since the school followed this tradition of celebrating Saraswati Puja for many years without issue, yet halted it this year, stopping an age-old practice in a school with no prior secular credentials problems does raise concerns. The act of halting it this year under the garb of secularism fuels doubts about religious animosity, since the school committee consists of a majority of non-Hindus. Furthermore, as per Hindu students, the school management committee made no effort to organise the Saraswati Puja event, which comprises a majority of Muslims, Christians, and Chakma Buddhists. This inaction strongly suggests the committee may have acted out of religious malice and animosity. However, this is not fully established, as the school issued a holiday instead of celebrating, showing it acknowledged the Puja as a Hindu festival. Yet that very acknowledgment paired with inaction, raises serious religious concerns and points to possible animosity. Since non-Hindus dominate the committee, this raises suspicions of deliberate limiting or minimising of Hindu public expression, including celebrations of Hindu festivals. It sparks valid concerns of religious animosity, though clarity eludes us as the school did issue a holiday. Hence, classifying it as a hate crime proves difficult. The Hinduphobia Tracker applies very strict parameters to classify an incident as a hate crime. Unless clear religious motivations drive the act, we do not classify incidents as such. In the absence of religious hostility as the motivating factor in this case, we are keeping it in the "Undecided" database only. If further details emerge showcasing clear religious animosity behind the act, it will be reassessed and added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: In this case, the Hinduphobia Tracker identifies the school management committee as the main perpetrator. The committee comprises not one religious group but three: Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims. However, the Hinduphobia Tracker has the capacity to record only one identity as the perpetrator in each case. Therefore, with three religious perpetrators involved here, we are recording the perpetrators' identity as "others". This is done for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
