Source: news.bbc.co.uk
UNITED KINGDOM, May 2010: Indian children could soon be wearing canvas shoes to school rather than the heavy leather brogues, widely viewed as relics from the British colonial era. Indian politician Maneka Gandhi is campaigning to ban the shoes as they are “unhealthy and uncomfortable” and “destroying” the feet of school-goers.
“Leather shoes are really bad for our children,” news agency AFP quoted Ms. Gandhi, daughter-in-law of former Indian premier Indira Gandhi and the widow of her younger son, Sanjay Gandhi. These shoes, originally from Ireland and Scotland, were suitable for cold climates and not for the heat of India, she added.
Last year, Ms Gandhi wrote to the human resource development ministry protesting against the use of leather shoes which are mandatory for students in most schools in India. The ministry then asked school boards for their opinion. According to reports, the two main boards – Central Board of School Education (CBSE) and Indian Council for Secondary Education (ICSE) – have responded favorably to the suggestion.