09-27-2004, 05:06 PM
<b>From saffron to red, Joshi sees colours thicken</b>
www.newstodaynet.com/25SEP/LD1.HTM
When the BJP was in power, the Left and other parties saw saffron in text book compilation by the government. Now the government has changed. And so too have the colours of perception.
<b>Now the BJP sees red (both literally and metaphorically) in the education policy of the UPA government. It is strongly driven by Leftist dogmas, former Union HRD Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who was in the eye of an educational storm not long ago, today said</b>.
Addressing presspersons here, Murli Manohar Joshi charged the UPA government with trying to put the clock of education back. The committee appointed by the Centre to analyse history books prepared by NCERT experts during the last NDA regime comprises just Communists who have all along been opposing NDAs education policy. The committee advised a complete replacement of the contents without even going through it, he said.
Refuting the allegations of saffronising education during his term at the office, the former HRD Minister recalled that it was during his tenure that Sarva Dharma Samaadhan, where the books gave a balanced account of basic tenets from all religions, was introduced.
If this is called saffronisation of education, I am ready to take the the blame on my shoulders, he added.
<b>Charging the Centre of ignoring the history of freedom fighters, he said the government is trying to remove all impressions from the minds of students about great revolutionaries who strove for the well-being of the nation </b>.
<b>Education must inculcate a spirit of rationalism and patriotism among all. It should inform about all ancient Indian scholars, philosophers, sculptors, scientists and mathematicians irrespective of their caste or creed,</b> he said.
Joshi added: The Siksha Bachav Andolan Samithi would take up the task of creating awareness among the masses on the dangers of this governments erroneous education policy. We are planning to hold seminars, symposiums and signature campaigns throughout the country on this count.
On the proliferation of minority education institutions in the country, he said it was for the respective State governments to have a check on exact number of students belonging to minority communities studying in these institutions.
<b>With regard to the removal of freedom fighter Sarvarkars plaque from the Andaman Cellular Jail, the senior BJP leader noted, his contribution to freedom struggle was immense as he languished in jail serving two successive jail-terms fighting against alien rule. The UPA governments attitude towards Sarvarkar has brought shame to the nation.</b>
Questioning the motive behind the Centre repealing POTA, Joshi said, <b>the repeal of POTA would mean a open field for terrorists. Its indeed a threat to all those who want to build a strong nation</b>.
Referring to Union Home Ministrys warning to a few Hindu organisations to shed communalism, <b>Joshi asked whether organising, assembling and serving Hindus is a crime? He dared the Ministry whether they would do the same thing with other minority organisations in the country</b>.
Earlier, he paid homage to nuclear scientist Dr Rajah Ramanna, who passed away recently.
BJP national secretary L Ganesan and State unit president C P Radhakrishnan were also present on the occasion.
www.newstodaynet.com/25SEP/LD1.HTM
When the BJP was in power, the Left and other parties saw saffron in text book compilation by the government. Now the government has changed. And so too have the colours of perception.
<b>Now the BJP sees red (both literally and metaphorically) in the education policy of the UPA government. It is strongly driven by Leftist dogmas, former Union HRD Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who was in the eye of an educational storm not long ago, today said</b>.
Addressing presspersons here, Murli Manohar Joshi charged the UPA government with trying to put the clock of education back. The committee appointed by the Centre to analyse history books prepared by NCERT experts during the last NDA regime comprises just Communists who have all along been opposing NDAs education policy. The committee advised a complete replacement of the contents without even going through it, he said.
Refuting the allegations of saffronising education during his term at the office, the former HRD Minister recalled that it was during his tenure that Sarva Dharma Samaadhan, where the books gave a balanced account of basic tenets from all religions, was introduced.
If this is called saffronisation of education, I am ready to take the the blame on my shoulders, he added.
<b>Charging the Centre of ignoring the history of freedom fighters, he said the government is trying to remove all impressions from the minds of students about great revolutionaries who strove for the well-being of the nation </b>.
<b>Education must inculcate a spirit of rationalism and patriotism among all. It should inform about all ancient Indian scholars, philosophers, sculptors, scientists and mathematicians irrespective of their caste or creed,</b> he said.
Joshi added: The Siksha Bachav Andolan Samithi would take up the task of creating awareness among the masses on the dangers of this governments erroneous education policy. We are planning to hold seminars, symposiums and signature campaigns throughout the country on this count.
On the proliferation of minority education institutions in the country, he said it was for the respective State governments to have a check on exact number of students belonging to minority communities studying in these institutions.
<b>With regard to the removal of freedom fighter Sarvarkars plaque from the Andaman Cellular Jail, the senior BJP leader noted, his contribution to freedom struggle was immense as he languished in jail serving two successive jail-terms fighting against alien rule. The UPA governments attitude towards Sarvarkar has brought shame to the nation.</b>
Questioning the motive behind the Centre repealing POTA, Joshi said, <b>the repeal of POTA would mean a open field for terrorists. Its indeed a threat to all those who want to build a strong nation</b>.
Referring to Union Home Ministrys warning to a few Hindu organisations to shed communalism, <b>Joshi asked whether organising, assembling and serving Hindus is a crime? He dared the Ministry whether they would do the same thing with other minority organisations in the country</b>.
Earlier, he paid homage to nuclear scientist Dr Rajah Ramanna, who passed away recently.
BJP national secretary L Ganesan and State unit president C P Radhakrishnan were also present on the occasion.