Spiritual Speaker’s Comments At Chennai School Spark Controversy

A government school in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has come under fire on social media after inviting a spiritual speaker, Mahavishnu from the Paramporul Foundation, to give a motivational talk on Teacher’s Day. Instead of focusing on motivation, the speaker veered into topics like rebirth, karma, and the consequences of past lives, sparking widespread criticism from the public and politicians.

The incident occurred at a school in Mylapore, where Mahavishnu spoke about the destruction of traditional "gurukulams" by the British and claimed that chanting mantras could bring supernatural effects, such as healing and causing fire to fall from the sky. He also suggested that individuals' hardships in life were due to actions from their previous lives.

A school staff member objected to the speaker’s remarks, pointing out that the session was meant to be motivational rather than spiritual. This led to a heated exchange, with Mahavishnu accusing the teacher of having an "ego issue." The interaction, which was captured on video and later uploaded to Mahavishnu's YouTube channel, quickly went viral, igniting a wave of backlash against the school administration for allowing such sensitive topics to be discussed with children.

The uproar prompted responses from political figures, including Congress MP Jothimani, who condemned the incident on social media and demanded accountability from the school authorities. She called on Tamil Nadu's School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh to take action, criticizing the event for undermining the state’s efforts to promote scientific thinking.

In response to the controversy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin emphasized the importance of instilling scientific thinking in students. While not directly addressing the viral video, he announced plans to introduce new guidelines for school programs, ensuring that students are exposed to progressive, science-based ideas. Stalin reiterated that “science is the way to progress” and that the state’s educational system should focus on developing students' knowledge through modern, scientific methods. The school administration has not yet responded to the public criticism or clarified their position on the incident.