Bhopal, Sept. 4: School and college students of Madhya Pradesh have been asked to touch the feet of their teachers tomorrow as a mark of respect on Teachers’ Day.

State education minister Laxman Singh Gaud said the tradition was being revived to strengthen the “spiritual alchemy” between teacher and student.

“It will be a befitting tribute to teachers. After all, a teacher is the intermediary between the student and the Divine,” he said.

“The guru’s feet are considered to be the repository of shakti (divine energy). By touching his feet, the student receives shaktipat, a transmission of that divine energy.”

Muslim and Christian students as well as girls have, however, been exempted from doing so. Girls have to greet teachers with flowers and the “others” according to their religious and cultural customs.

“The idea is to show reverence and respect. It can be done by kissing the hand or offering salaam,” Gaud said, adding that the directive was binding on all government-run, government-aided and private educational institutions.

Sources said students from minority communities might have been exempted because the gesture goes against their religion. Making young women bend to touch their teachers’ feet was “improper”, they added.

But some said there could be more to the directive than meets the eye.

“The idea of asking students to touch teachers’ feet is not all that innocent. Why can’t the BJP minister think of something that will unite society than divide it?” Indira Iyenger, the president of the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, asked.

“If Muslim and Christian students are exempted, it isolates them. What is wrong with saying namaste? Why should there be a religious gesture?”

A teacher of a missionary school echoed her. “I have no problem if the bulk of the students touch my feet. But I dread to see a group of Muslim and Christian students standing aloof. Invariably, it leads to division,” she said.

But there were some who saw nothing wrong. Ahmad Kamal, a private school administrator, said his chain of schools would abide by the order.

Congress spokesperson Manak Aggarwal said the BJP regime should pay more attention to teachers’ safety, security, perks and other benefits.

In the past three-and-a-half years, the BJP government has issued many directives that have turned controversial. These include singing Vande Mataram, doing surya namaskar, banning fashion shows and making teaching of yoga compulsory.